![Blocked: South-west MP supports social media ban for children under 14 Blocked: South-west MP supports social media ban for children under 14](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/379mw9XPZ7UFRqmwjWhGKkr/c0b94d64-de6d-4bb7-ab6b-c75e90ce988a.jpg/r0_75_800_525_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Social media should be banned for children under 14, according to Member for Wannon Dan Tehan.
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The former education minister said he was concerned about the harmful impacts social media had on young people.
"This is something I have strong views on personally," Mr Tehan said.
"When I was education minister this issue came up all the time.
"I met with a US social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who has done a lot of work on the impacts of social media.
"His research is absolutely damning of the impact it has on young people."
Mr Tehan said he was concerned about online predators, online bullying and messaging aimed at targeting vulnerable people.
He said young people could also spend a lot of time on social media, which could lead to social isolation.
Mr Tehan said he believed a ban, which would need to be implemented by the owners of social media companies, was the best option.
He said putting the onus on the companies would take pressure off parents, who may feel their child could be left out if their friends were allowed to use social media.
Mr Tehan said he also supported a nation-wide ban of TikTok if the parent company could not guarantee users' information wouldn't be harvested and used for a number of purposes.
"We need to look at the ownership structure and if we cannot get a guarantee that the information gathered stays here in Australia, I think we should consider a ban."
Member for Western Victoria Bev McArthur said she believed Australia should follow the actions of the US government.
"In normal circumstances, I would oppose government's intervention in the free market, but TikTok's behaviour to date has crossed a line," she said.
"It is clear that users' data can be abused and the power its algorithm gives the Communist Chinese Government to spew misinformation into our democracy is too great a security risk for Australia.
"We should stand with our American allies and demand that TikTok must either be sold, or face closure."
Mr Tehan said he was pleased South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has moved to explore the possibility of implementing a ban on social media for children under 14.
Mr Malinauskas has appointed former High Court chief justice Robert French AC to examine the legal, regulatory and technological pathways for his government to impose a ban within the state's constitutional framework.
Under the proposal, parents would also have to give their consent for children aged 14 and 15 to access a social media account.
"Like most parents, I am concerned about the impact social media is having on children in our community," Mr Malinauskas said in a statement on Sunday.
"We are seeing mounting evidence from experts of the adverse impact of social media on children, their mental health and development.
"I am determined to ensure as a government we are doing everything we can to protect our children."
Most social media platforms require users to be at least 13 to register an account, but the age limit is easily circumvented.
The proposed changes would be an Australian-first and follow legislated restrictions on children using social media accounts in Spain and the US states of Florida and Texas.
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan did not specify a minimum age but called for the platforms' limits to be raised or for Australia to set its own limits.