Staying connected with young people – impacts of social media restrictions and what you can do

February 6, 2026
If you want to ensure young people are heard, seen and included, get in touch.A young person holding a phone.

In December 2025, Australia introducednew restrictions on social media use and data collection for young people under16 years old. Platforms must now check how old users are before they can usethem and there are tighter rules about showing specific ads or content for youngusers.

This changes how young peopleaccess social media platforms, with Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok andYouTube all in the mix.

Why the change and what does it mean?

According to the eSafety Commission, the aim of the change is to protect young Australians from the pressures and risks of social media, including features that encourage young people to spend more time on screens, and content that can harm their health and wellbeing.

And while we think this is critical, impacts of the change need to be considered, so we can ensure we are still able to reach and engage young people. This is particularly important when it comes to both including and informing people under 16 on important issues that directly impact them.

Increased isolation for young people who depend on online spaces for safety, identity, cultural and peer connection and support is a real risk. We’re sharing tips on how organisations can change their thinking around engaging young people away from social media, to ensure young people are still being heard, seen and included.

Who is most affected?

Social Media platforms, just like other online spaces, are more than just entertainment. This is especially the case for young people who rely on digital communities to connect, learn, and feel supported.

Marginalised young people will be most affected by this change. Mission Australia’s 2024 Youth Survey found:

  • High social media use was most commonly reported by gender diverse young people (48%)
  • CALD youth (41%) reported high social media use compared to non-CALD youth (38%)
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people reported a higher proportion of high social media use (50%) compared to young people who did not identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (38%).

Also affected by this change will be young people who live in rural and remote areas and those with disability.

“I didn’t have anyone with my disability to talk to when I was growing up. I would have loved having an online community — somewhere I could relate to others and share my experiences. I would have found real solidarity with people like me. It would have built my confidence and helped me feel less isolated. That’s why I think we now need to work hard to create these spaces for young people away from social media.” – Jane Britt, Senior Consultant and Advisor – The Social Deck

We know why connection is important, so what can organisations do to help young people to keep connected?

Here’s where your organisation comes in

Whether you’re a business or not-for-profit organisation, the new restrictions on social media for young people under 16 will impact how you communicate and engage.

Since the beginning of platforms like Facebook, many organisations have been using social media to connect with young people, and this has only increased over time.

Back in 2014, we designed a digital-first campaign to tackle smoking among young Aboriginal people. The method was to encourage them to share messages via social channels. This is a common approach for many social and health programs or campaigns. An approach that will need a rethink.

The opportunity now exists for organisations to consider different strategies for how we can engage and build trust with young people.

Our top tips to help your organisation communicate and connect with young people

Engaging with trusted communities and people

‍Mission Australia’s Youth Survey also found that, aside from social media and the web, young people are most likely to go to their friends and families for help with the important issues in their life.

Communicating with these trusted groups can help to engage with young people and ensure they’re still receiving support and information that’s important to them.

What this looks like in practice

  • Communicating with parents and carers, who can help pass information on and support young people to make informed choices. Check out our work on classification changes to video games with gambling-like content to see how we effectively engaged with parents and families about gaming.
  • Partnering with peer-led or youth support groups, who often feel more relatable and credible than formal organisations. This could be youth leaders, captains or junior coaches to share messages peer-to-peer rather than top-down from the club committee.

Leveraging existing spaces for young people

‍This might look like working with organisations and groups that young people are already engaging with, including:

  • schools
  • youth services
  • cultural groups
  • sport clubs.

Strong relationships with these groups, who are likely trusted by and accessible to young people, can assist with engagement.

What this looks like in practice

  • Running short engagement sessions before or after activities that young people participate in, such as training or music lessons, rather than expecting young people to attend separate meetings.
  • Using existing events that schools, clubs or youth services already organise, such as registration or orientation days, presentation days, cultural festivals, etc as opportunities to share information or gather feedback.

Rethinking digital communication channels

Digital engagement is still on the table – we just need to consider other platforms. Some organisations are utilising other digital methods, like text-based chat platforms, to communicate and engage with young people. This might look like offering an information service that young people can text to ask questions, or group chat sessions where young people can message a group to seek support and inclusion.

What this looks like in practice

  • Using platforms like Discord or interest-based websites and forums that young people still access, which can be used to engage with and provide information to young people.
  • Hosting moderated online Q&A sessions which are chat based and allow young people to drop in and out of in spaces they already use.

Engaging face-to-face‍

In-person engagement still plays an important role in building connection and trust. It is particularly important to consider accessibility and inclusivity to ensure events meet the diverse needs of a wide range of people.

What this looks like in practice

  • Community or interest-based events where young people can meet others, take part in activities they care about, and build a sense of belonging.
  • Creating informal spaces for conversation at already existing events, rather than formal ‘consultation sessions’.

Involving young people in co-design‍

More than ever, it’s important that young people’s voices are being heard, and that they can still be involved in issues that matter to them. Engaging with young people about the things they want to know, and how they want to access this information, is vital.

What this looks like in practice

  • Using methods like surveys, workshops and forums to identify what is important to them, while also seeking their input and ideas on how this information can be made relevant and accessible to them. Using this information, young people can then be engaged to contribute to and create solutions that are right for them.
  • Asking young people how they’d like to receive information (e.g. videos, short posts, messages via team chats) and letting them help create it.

Using organisations (like The Social Deck!) to help you engage‍

Youth engagement is not new to us. While some communication and delivery tactics might change, the foundation of engagement remains the same: involve, listen to and work with young people on what’s important to them.

We have a young engagement team dedicated to this work, as well as strong and proven relationships with youth advocacy and support services across the country. This allows us to reach a wide range of young people, meaning we can ensure the voices of diverse young people are being heard.

Whether it’s talking to young people with disability about their education, or teaching students about urban water systems, we can help you to get young people involved in your work.

How can we help?
If you want to ensure young people are heard, seen and included, get in touch.
Email: team@thesocialdeck.com
Call: 0491 617 118
Jamie Williams
Communication and Engagement Consultant
jamie@thesocialdeck.com

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