There is no doubt that the rise of social media, particularly in the last decade, has completely transformed the lives of everyone with a mobile device, particularly our children.

Social media has brought with it some benefits, it helps us connect with family and friends and share life’s most significant moments.

However, over the years, I have become increasingly concerned that social media presents a greater threat than it does benefit to our society and particularly to our kids.

Where previous generations were out riding their bikes, moving through nature, making friends, young people today are learning about life through various screens and on websites that have little interest in their healthy development.

Social media sites are deliberately addictive, designed to hook impressionable minds in an endless loop of scrolling, whether it makes them happy or not.

In fact, research has found that kids who spend more than three hours a day on social media are twice as likely to experience poor mental health, including symptoms of depression and anxiety.

There is no shying away from these statistics.

That is why my Government will be hosting a social media summit this October to understand the impact that social media platforms are having on children and young people.

The social media summit will bring together experts, policy makers, young people and the wider community to assess the impact social media has on our children and society.

As a parent, I think it is crucial that we lend our observations and experiences to this Summit.

I want to hear from you. Please let me know your views or share your experiences by clicking here or visiting my website https://chrisminns.au/social-media-summit/.

Yours sincerely,

The Hon. Chris Minns MP
Premier of New South Wales
Member for Kogarah