By Linda Williams
From 10 December 2025, social media platforms in Australia will need to take reasonable steps to prevent young people under 16 from creating an account or continuing to use an existing one. While some people may feel relieved by this new legislation, others might be concerned about how it will impact themselves, their families or their students.
This will be a big shift, and there will be a period of adjustment as the restrictions are rolled out. As teachers, you can play a key role in helping students navigate this transition period.
How might this impact students?
Social media is an important part of many young people’s lives. It’s where they connect with others, find community and learn about what’s going on in the world. ReachOut research shows that the majority of young people aged 12–15 (72%) disagree with the restrictions or have mixed feelings about them. So for some students, the shift away from social media may be difficult.
Students may feel frustrated, confused or upset. They might also be worried about how they’ll stay connected. Those who are dependent on social media might experience withdrawal symptoms, like mood swings, withdrawal from day-to-day life and issues with communication.
How can you manage these impacts in the classroom?
Normalise emotions and experiences
It’s normal for people to have mixed feelings about these restrictions. Your students may feel grief, frustration, anger, relief and even happiness. While mixed emotions are fairly common, sitting with these feelings can be confusing. You can help your students understand that having these mixed emotions is normal and valid. Prepare a classroom exercise where you name and acknowledge each emotion and practice acceptance.
Encourage connections
Connections are important for building resilience. While social media is a major way young people stay connected, it’s not the only way. Remind your students that there are other ways they can build connections. Help them to identify their existing relationships and encourage them to develop new ones. You might suggest they try a new group activity or connect with a peer support program.
Let your students have a voice
It’s really important to let your students voice their opinions, emotions and experiences during this time. Young people often tell us how upsetting it is when adults minimise their experiences, and that’s especially relevant here. This issue has directly impacted their lives, yet they aren’t able to take action or participate in the political conversation. Create room for open discussion in the classroom. Some students may have never been asked about their perspectives on this issue. A simple ‘how do you feel about these restrictions?’ may be enough to help your students feel seen and heard.
Continue your conversations around online safety
It’s important to remember that just because restrictions are in place doesn’t mean that young people are safe online. Continue to have open conversations with your students about online safety, boundary-setting and privacy. Teach students about respectful behaviours online and the responsible use of devices, and share resources that build their critical thinking skills.
Enable parents and carers to be key supports
Parents and carers may turn to you and the school to manage the impacts of the restrictions and support their teen. While you do play a big role in supporting your students, you can’t do it alone. Parents and carers play a major role in supporting their teens throughout this period of transition and beyond. ReachOut has developed a new guide for parents and carers designed to help them understand the potential impacts and support their teen. There is a printable PDF version of this resource that you might like to hand out to parents and carers. You can access it here.
Encourage further support if needed
Some students may need additional support to cope. Our curated social media ban collection features resources on coping with change, dealing with isolation, accessing professional support, and more. It’s designed to help young people feel prepared to navigate this transition and manage some of the expected impacts on their wellbeing.
You can also champion professional support. Help your students understand how they can access it if they need it. A good place for your students to start is with the school counsellor or their GP.
Don’t forget to look after your own wellbeing. The restrictions won’t just impact young people, but will undoubtedly affect the people who support them, too. It’s normal to feel frustrated or overwhelmed by issues that are causing changes or disruptions in your classroom. Check out our collection on teacher wellbeing for strategies on how you can practise self-care.
Visit eSafety for more information about what the social media age restrictions mean for educators.
For more tips on how you can support your students, check out ReachOut’s new guide.
Linda Williams is the Clinical Lead and Senior Psychologist at youth mental health organisation, ReachOut Australia.