Is a blanket ban on social media the right answer?

I can't tell you how many times I've spoken about my opposition to a blanket ban on social media in the past week.

As Senator Roberts rightly points out, legislation that bans social media altogether takes away the opportunity for parents to decide when they think their child is ready to use social media and which platforms they can sign up to, plus it takes away a parent's opportunity to teach their children how to use these platforms.

Parents know best how their child ticks.

I'm a parent. I thought about how I used social media and how my kids might use it.

Don't get me wrong—I had the same concerns about online content and what they would access as parents have now. But, when I thought the time was right for them, and for me, I helped my kids set up most social media accounts, and together we worked out how they could use them.

They're grown up now, but I believe those early lessons on what to do and what not to do on social media set them up for making good choices down the track. That was my choice as a parent for my children. Taking away that choice is not going to help our kids.

Look, I know there are good intentions behind an imposed ban.

I agree there are huge issues around the kinds of content children and teens have been able to access online and how social media platforms can impact their mental health. But, as I said over and over again, a ban isn't the answer; a ban is not going to stop kids accessing social platforms. Trust me: they are clever enough to find ways around any roadblocks put in their way.

And a ban doesn't actually address the problems young people are facing online. Has anyone in the government asked our kids what is best for them? If they had, I'm sure they would have been told this is not the silver-bullet solution they think it is. What worries me is that by trying to keep kids safe, you will just create other problems.

Think about how important social media is for some groups. These platforms are a lifeline for many kids living in remote areas or those who can't leave their homes or those who are sick and stuck in hospital for extended periods. It's the way they connect with their friends. It's the way they keep up with what's going on outside. For these kids, going online is their passport to the rest of the world.

Good social media access should start with education. When I say 'education', I mean the good in social media, the bad and all that comes in between.

The child's education should start with the parent, not the government, and that is a fundamental right when you become a parent. When you conceive, you adopt or foster, you treat your children in a manner that you want to raise them.