Media Comment: Dean McCoubrey, Founder of MySociaLife, 11 x globally award-recognised social media educator, teaching online safety in SA schools.
New legislation in Australia prohibiting social media use for under-16s is a long-overdue measure to protect young people from the significant risks they face online. However, while the ban has generated significant focus, it highlights a deeper issue: the systemic failure of education to equip children with the necessary skills to navigate an increasingly digital world. “Will South Africa attend to the issue, while other countries also consider a ban over the coming years? And what will local educators and parents do in the interim?” asks Dean McCoubrey, Founder of MySociaLife, a globally award-recognised social media educator, teaching online safety in SA schools.
In addition, a new movement called Smartphone Free Childhood has gained momentum, and while valuable, this fails to attend to the call on educators to move into action by integrating digital skills and modern life orientation into the curriculum. “We can’t just ban, we need to educate as a part of daily school life, not just to attend to the challenges, but also the reality that tech now fills hours of daily life for adults and children alike.”
For over a decade, schools and education systems have lagged in providing a robust, compulsory curriculum on digital literacy and online safety. Technology drives almost every aspect of our lives, and this influence is only growing. Without integrating digital education—just as we do maths, science, or language—into the classroom for several hours a week, young people will remain unprepared for the challenges and opportunities of our digital future.
Furthermore, in a country needing to support youth, will AI play a role in helping to fill the education gap, given the fact that AI can offer one-on-one tutoring? Technology, and social media giants, can be blamed for the platforms themselves, but adults have to play a role in looking at the challenges and opportunities, and acting on them with very different approaches.
At MySociaLife, we believe that alongside regulation, we must urgently invest in teaching kids how to think critically, act responsibly, and protect their mental health in online spaces. This isn’t about fearmongering; it’s about empowerment. It’s time to address the root cause and not just the symptoms of the digital crisis affecting our youth.
Parents, educators, and policymakers must work together to ensure children develop the skills needed to thrive in a tech-driven world—this includes emphasising empathy, privacy, and resilience online. Australia is to be commended for making a move, but others will wait years to see something similar in their countries. Let their call for legislation be a wake-up call to prioritise education alongside protection in the interim.
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