Shaping the Next Generation of Respectful Social Media Users
As Australia moves closer to implementing new laws restricting social media access for children under 16, the spotlight has turned to the role of online spaces in shaping young minds. While these platforms offer immense opportunities for connection, creativity, and learning, they also come with risks—bullying, misinformation, and toxic behaviour among them. If the next generation of users is to navigate these spaces responsibly and respectfully, we must equip them with the tools and values to foster healthy, constructive interactions online.
Social media can be a powerful force for good, especially when it encourages open dialogue on challenging topics, such as bushfire prevention, climate change, or social justice. Yet, for these discussions to be effective, certain conditions must be met. Founder and President of Mums of the Hills Inc, Dr Belinda Young, believes that respectful online interaction depends on three key elements: knowledge and awareness, trust and accountability, and a shared sense of responsibility. Through her PhD research into the effectiveness of online communities, combined with her experience developing Mums of the Hills private online group, Belinda suggests that if we want the next generation to thrive in digital spaces, we need to embed these principles not just into the online behaviour of our teens, but everyone’s.
Building Knowledge and Awareness
Respectful interaction begins with education. Just as informed citizens are better equipped to participate in meaningful offline discussions, informed social media users are more likely to contribute constructively to online conversations. For young people, this means teaching digital literacy from an early age—how to evaluate sources, recognize misinformation, and engage critically with content.
This is especially important in addressing community-specific issues, like bushfire prevention. Online communities often fail to make meaningful progress on tough topics because members lack the foundational knowledge to contribute effectively. Schools, community groups, and families can work together to ensure children not only understand the issues that affect them but also see social media as a tool for amplifying solutions, not perpetuating problems.
Fostering Trust and Accountability
Respectful online interaction also depends on trust and accountability. In online spaces, anonymity and distance can sometimes erode personal responsibility, leading to harmful behaviors like trolling or harassment. To counter this, the next generation must understand that their digital actions have real-world consequences.
Teaching accountability could involve integrating ethics into digital education. For instance, children can learn how their words and actions affect others online, whether it’s responding to a classmate’s post or participating in a community discussion. Programs like the 3Rs training—designed to Recognize, Respond, and Refer in cases of family violence—could be adapted for schools to address the dynamics of online conflict and how to de-escalate tensions respectfully.
Additionally, trust can be cultivated when online communities establish clear guidelines for behavior and consequences for harmful actions. Parents, educators, and platform creators must collaborate to model positive interaction and enforce norms that encourage empathy and kindness.
Promoting Shared Responsibility
One of the most important factors in fostering respectful online behavior is a shared sense of responsibility. When members of an online community feel connected to one another and to a larger purpose, they are more likely to engage in meaningful and respectful ways.
For young people, this means understanding that their voice matters but also that their actions contribute to a broader ecosystem. Whether it’s participating in discussions about local issues like bushfire prevention or supporting mental health awareness campaigns, they need to see themselves as part of a collective effort. This sense of obligation can be nurtured through programs that involve young people in community projects, both online and offline, where they can see the tangible impact of collaboration and mutual respect.
Mums of the Hills is a great example
Mums of the Hills (MotHs) private online group stands as a model for what healthy and respectful online communities can look like. While no space is ever perfect or immune to external pressures, MotHs has built a reputation as a gentle and supportive environment where members engage with care and mutual respect. The group embodies the three key factors for fostering effective online discussions—encouraging knowledge-sharing, promoting accountability, and cultivating a strong sense of shared responsibility. But MotHs doesn’t stop at maintaining an online culture of respect; it works hard to translate that into real-world connections by creating place-based events to strengthen local networks.
We believe that the stronger and more connected you are to the place you live, the better local online communities can thrive. This sense of community—rooted in shared experiences and physical proximity—creates an online culture where members feel a deeper obligation to treat one another with kindness and respect. Through events, workshops, and initiatives, MotHs bridges the gap between online and offline, showing that the health of a digital community often mirrors the strength of the real-world relationships behind it.
MotHs future research goals
Although the online space is primarily asynchronous (people participated at different times), the connection to real-time, place-based events brings an additional layer of engagement and responsibility. This mix of in-person and online interactions creates a stronger sense of community than either approach might achieve on its own.
Belinda believes that this raises an interesting question: does including real-time (synchronous) elements, like live discussions or events, in online communities make people feel more connected and responsible for their community? And if so, how can we use this knowledge to strengthen both our online groups and our in-person connections?
Mums of the Hills would like to explore these ideas further. For the next generation of social media users, finding answers to these questions may result in new ways of designing online platforms and communities that encourage both individual participation and collective responsibility. Teaching young people to see their online interactions as part of a larger, interconnected network—just like being a member of a neighbourhood or school—may help them develop respect, empathy, and accountability in their digital lives. Finding answers could help all of us understand how to better build and nurture our community networks, ensuring they remain supportive, engaging, and responsive to everyone’s needs—both online and off.
Integrating Respectful Interaction into the New Era of Social Media
The upcoming restrictions on social media access for children under 16 provide a unique opportunity to reset how we approach digital education. While the bill seeks to protect young users from harm, it also signals the need to prepare them for eventual access to these platforms. This preparation goes beyond safety concerns—it’s about instilling values and practices that ensure social media becomes a space for dialogue, learning, and growth.
To achieve this, parents, educators, and policymakers must work together to create environments where children learn the value of respect, accountability, and community engagement. Workshops on digital literacy, programs that address online ethics, and opportunities for young people to engage in meaningful online discussions about local or global issues can all help bridge the gap between restriction and readiness.
Social media is not inherently good or bad—it is a reflection of its users. By focusing on education, trust, and responsibility, we can ensure that the next generation of social media users grows up to be informed, empathetic, and respectful contributors to the digital world. The foundation we build today will shape the way they approach challenges and conversations tomorrow, both online and in the communities they call home.