Two Labor premiers are taking steps to place restrictions on children from accessing social media.

Family First welcomes this as a good first step to protecting children from on-line harm.

NSW Premier Chris Minns' proposal to bar children under 16 from social media highlights the urgent need to shield young minds from the harmful effects of unregulated online environments.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has appointed a former High Court chief justice to examine pathways for his government to impose a social media ban on Australians under 14.

Their intervention addresses growing concerns from parents and health professionals about the impact of social media on children's mental health and well-being.

"I think it's a giant global unregulated experiment on children and we have to change,” Minns said.

According to an article by Nick Cater in Quadrant, the rise in mental health issues among Generation Z is alarming.

Cater references Jonathan Haidt's research, which indicates a significant increase in depressive episodes and anxiety among young people since the proliferation of smartphones and social media.

"Major depressive episodes in the United States have increased by 145 per cent for girls and 161 per cent for boys since 2012," notes Haidt.

Cater argues that social media exposes children to social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction.

He warns, "Children are being manipulated by devices that are designed to be addictive."

He further states, "The time they spend on these platforms is time taken away from real-life interactions, which are essential for their emotional and social development."

Minns' call for increased age restrictions is a necessary measure to protect children from these adverse effects.

By preventing younger users from accessing social media, we can reduce their exposure to harmful content and addictive algorithms.

Minns' initiative also aligns with Cater's assertion that responsible parenting is crucial in mitigating the negative impacts of technology.

Cater emphasizes the need for parents to be more involved in their children's online activities and to set clear boundaries.

He aptly points out, "We have language which allows us to describe problems and harness our collective skills to find solutions."