Democracy Counts Urges Compulsory Civics in All Schools as 85% Back More Education
Updated
Updated · The Educator · Aug 5
Democracy Counts Urges Compulsory Civics in All Schools as 85% Back More Education
1 articles · Updated · The Educator · Aug 5
Summary
Democracy Counts told an Australian parliamentary inquiry that the proposed under-16 social media ban will not by itself prepare young people to handle misinformation, polarisation and radicalisation once they return online.
The campaign urged Canberra to pair access limits with compulsory civics education, digital media literacy and stronger platform accountability, arguing transparency is needed for regulators and the public to enforce any broader safeguards.
Tom Mooney likened the ban to a "fence around the swimming pool," saying children also need the equivalent of "swimming lessons"—practical skills to assess online content and participate effectively in democracy.
McKinnon's State of Australian Democracy report found 85% of Australians support more civics education, bolstering calls for schools to play a larger role in preparing future voters for an information environment dominated by social media.