According to a new survey, many children in Australia are violating age restrictions on popular social networks and joining sites that are intended for adults. Of course, due to the restrictions for creating and using accounts most social media platforms have set the minimum age at 13 years but children are always trying to bypass the restrictions. This has been a worrying trend especially to parents, educators and any one with concern for the safety of children have resorted to urging the governments and other stakeholders to put in place more stringent measures to follow up on children closely when they are online.

Highlights:

• Many Australian children are accessing social media under the age of 13.
• Current age verification systems are proving ineffective.
• Experts warn of heightened exposure to online risks and inappropriate content.
• Parents are being urged to monitor their children's digital activities closely.
• Calls for stricter government regulations on social media platforms are growing.

According to the report, people give fake ages or get their accounts from friends or family members to circumvent barriers set on social media. This loophole lets them come across content that they would otherwise not be supposed to come across due to their age. It is thus argued that social media platforms require more stringent measures to fight these breaches.

Researchers have raised the concern on the psychological and emotional implications of the early exposure to the unhealthy content by children. In particular, staying active for a long time may cause negative consequences such as cyber bullying, increased level of anxiety, and unrealistic expectations of one's body image. These enthusiasts propose the use of technology and parenting measures as key aspects of tackling this continually rising matter.

Certain government institutions are now demanding that such policies are implemented to more rigorously regulate tech companies. Possible sanctions include age verification and punishments for platforms that ACPs have not complied with guidelines. Until all the changes are put into practice, schools, parents, and digital platforms have been for the better protection of the young users.