The NSW Government recently invited the community to share their experiences, concerns, and suggestions regarding social media use and impacts.

More than 21,000 surveys were completed in response to the consultation on the Have Your Say platform, showing just how engaged the NSW community is on the issue of social media and its impact on young people.

Thanks to those of you who took the time to share your valuable feedback. The consultation found the top concerns regarding social media include:

• exposure to inappropriate content
• distraction from daily responsibilities
• privacy and cybersecurity risks.

It also found that the majority of people want to see safeguards put in place for social media, with 87% in support of an age limit. The most frequently suggested age was 16.

The consultation revealed that parents increasingly report negative outcomes as children spend more time on social media. 35% of parents of 13-15 year olds, especially in single-parent households, report that social media has a 'negative' or 'very negative' impact on their child's life.

Young people themselves echoed some of this sentiment, with 66% of 16-17 year olds expressing that social media distracts them from essential tasks such as schoolwork and family obligations.

The insights gathered from this consultation will play a crucial role in shaping discussions at this week’s Social Media Summit.

This first of its kind event, jointly hosted by the NSW Government and the Government of South Australia, will bring together experts, policymakers, young people, and community voices to discuss strategies to combat the negative impacts of social media, and foster a more positive digital future.

To watch a live stream of the Summit from 9.30am tomorrow, please visit please visit nsw.gov.au/socialmediasummit