<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/06/ive-lost-my-friends-advocacy-groups-warn-australias-social-media-ban-risks-isolating-kids-with-disabilities>
"Before Australia’s age restriction rules for social media use came into
effect, one of Indy’s hobbies was making fan videos of her favourite television
shows and games to post on Instagram or TikTok.
The 14-year-old, who asked that her surname not be used, is autistic. While
some young people were exposed to harmful content and bullying online, for
Indy, social media was always a safe space. If she ever came across anything
that felt unsafe, she says, she would ask her parents or sisters about it.
“I have autism and mental health things, it’s hard making friends in real life
for me,” she says. “My online friends were easier because I can communicate in
my own time and think about what I want to say. My social media was my main way
of socialising and without it I feel like I’ve lost my friends.”
The timing of the new laws – which came into force on 10 December, right before
the long summer school holidays – made things even more difficult, she says.
“I didn’t have all my friends’ phone numbers because we mostly talked on
Snapchat and Instagram. When I lost everything I all of a sudden couldn’t talk
to them at all, that’s made me feel very lonely and not connected,” she says.
“Being banned feels unfair because it takes away something that helped me cope,
where I could be myself and feel like I had friends who liked me for being
myself.”"
Via Christoph S.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
