Healthy Harold’s international push for earlier online safety education 

As the online and social media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, Life Ed Australia’s CEO Karen Robertson has addressed an audience of parliamentarians, policy, health and education experts in the UK. She shared insights on Australia’s world-leading social media delay, as the UK Government considers its response to the growing body of  evidence on the impact of social media on children and young people. 

“Prevention is no longer optional, it is critical. In today’s fast-paced digital world, we have a responsibility to keep up  and meet our children where they are,” said Karen Robertson, CEO of Life Ed Australia. 

“We must work together to keep our kids safe. The government has an important role in regulating this space, social media  platforms need to be held accountable, and education must be delivered earlier.” 

This comes as Life Ed Australia extends its online safety stream to the early years, launching Harold’s Safe Screen Time with Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare MP. 

Like the Life Ed program, the social media delay is not about restriction. It’s about creating time to educate children  when it counts – before they face difficult decisions. 

“Just as we introduce complex skills like driving at an age when young people are developmentally ready, and after  they receive adequate education and training, we must do the same with social media and the online world,” continued Ms Robertson. 

“It’s encouraging to see the level of interest, debate and commitment to child safety and wellbeing in the UK. My one hour presentation turned into a 90-minute open discussion about the evidence, advocacy, policy drivers and education  alignment required for change, and the need to act early to reduce long-term harm.” 

As the UK Government continues to face increasing pressure from families, schools and advocacy groups lobbying for  change, including our local partners Coram Life Education, this was an important discussion on how groups can work  together to influence the policy trajectory to keep kids safe online. 

This comes at a pivotal time. Landmark legal cases have been won against tech giants in the US and Mexico, holding  social media platforms to account for prioritising addiction over protection. Many countries, like Indonesia, begin to  roll out their social media restrictions as the world watches on with great interest. On our shores, the eSafety  Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant issued a report on the progress achieved in the three months since Australia’s social  media delay legislation was introduced.  

“There have been positive steps forward. However, it is concerning that it has revealed a number of major compliance  issues and in some cases, intentional manipulative tactics by social media platforms who have a vested interest in keeping kids scrolling through their algorithms,” shared Ms Robertson. 

“It is shocking. It is dangerous, as evidence continues to grow on the impact of social media on young minds. A decline  in mental health, academic performance, and capacity to form healthy relationships are among the significant risks in  play for our next generation.” 

Ms Robertson, who is also Vice President of the Australia Parents Council, has been actively involved in Australia’s  national conversations on children’s wellbeing in digital environments for a number of years, including presenting evidence at the Senate Inquiry into the impacts of social media on young Australians that led to the social media delay. 

Life Ed Australia is a proud and trusted eSafety Provider and developed one of the country’s first online safety education  modules in 2016. Since then, the team and iconic Healthy Harold have expanded this offering to include important  educational touchpoints across each year of primary school and into the early years because of rising concerns and the  clear need. 

For more information about Life Ed’s approach to online safety visit here.