Reflection from co-Founder and Executive Director, Tracy Foster
Australia’s decision to raise the minimum age for social media from 13 to 16 is a remarkable moment, not only for families across Australia, but for everyone, globally, who cares about the wellbeing of kids growing up in a digital world.
At Screen Sanity, for nearly a decade we have talked about the unique challenge of being the first generation to raise digital natives. There is no hand-me-down wisdom for this. No inherited map. We are all learning in real time — building the plane while flying it — and doing our best to ensure the next generation grows up healthy, connected, and confident.
That has always been the heart of our mission.
Because there is no roadmap, parents and communities everywhere have needed support, not in the form of fearmongering or rigid prescriptions, but through practical tools, shared language, and judgment-free spaces to talk honestly about what they’re seeing in their kids.
Our Screen Sanity Australia team has been doing exactly that for years. They’ve shown up in school halls, living rooms, community groups, and media interviews, helping parents feel less alone and more equipped. They’ve sparked thousands of courageous conversations that have quietly shaped a cultural readiness for change.
When you build understanding at the community level, people begin to carry that clarity into their everyday lives; into workplaces, classrooms, newsrooms, and conversations with policymakers. Over the past year, we’ve seen firsthand how some incredibly influential leaders who engaged with Screen Sanity’s content took those insights into their professional spheres, helping shape media narratives, inform public opinion, and elevate digital wellbeing as a serious national concern. Their influence contributed meaningfully to the moment Australia is now experiencing.
We know this policy shift comes with strong opinions, thoughtful concerns, and varied perspectives. And while Screen Sanity is not a political organization, nor do we weigh in on specific legislative decisions, we hear daily from families who are seeking clearer guardrails in a digital landscape that often feels too complex, too fast, and too big for kids to navigate alone.
What this moment reflects, for many parents, is a desire to give kids time, guidance, and gradual independence. It’s the same philosophy we use for anything that carries both opportunity and risk — we introduce it slowly, with support, in age-appropriate ways. The age change is one reflection of a broader cultural desire to give kids space to grow before stepping into environments designed for adult brains.
Even with this policy shift, families will continue to face the same daily questions:
These questions aren’t going anywhere, which is why Screen Sanity’s work remains as important as ever. Policies may change, but what young people need most is connection, presence, and the steady guidance of caring adults.
As a global community, in Australia, the U.S., and beyond, we’ll continue walking alongside families with empathy and practical support, helping kids grow up captivated by life, not screens.
I couldn’t be prouder of our Australian team. Their work didn’t take place on a debate stage. It took place at kitchen tables. In classrooms. In boardrooms. In interviews where they offered clarity without sensationalism. In relationships where they listened first and spoke with care.
And importantly, it took place in the lives of individuals who then carried those insights into their own leadership roles across media, education, and public life. That’s how cultural change happens: one conversation at a time, amplified by people who feel equipped and inspired to lead.
