Reclaiming Childhood Focus: A Fresh Start Beyond Social Media

By Pascal Press I November 25, 2025

Recent changes to Australia's social media laws mean that children under 16 will no longer be able to create or maintain accounts on major social media platforms. The new legislation requires these platforms to remove existing accounts belonging to users under 16 and introduce stronger age-verification systems.

This shift represents a significant moment in how young people interact with technology, and it arrives at a time when educators, parents and researchers are increasingly focused on supporting children's cognitive, emotional and academic development. While the policy is centred on safety and wellbeing, it may also create long-term opportunities for students to build healthier study habits and re-engage with learning beyond the screen.

Educational Impacts of Reduced Social Media Exposure

Improved Attention and Learning Outcomes

Research consistently shows that high levels of screen-based distraction can fragment students' attention. A reduction in social media use may help students maintain longer periods of focus, supporting deeper comprehension and more effective practice across subject areas.

Studies in cognitive science highlight that sustained attention is essential for encoding new information into long-term memory, which is critical for success in upper primary and secondary schooling.

Strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Skills

Time spent offline is often redirected to reading, writing, problem-solving or hands-on activities. For younger learners, this shift can reinforce early literacy and numeracy development. For older students, reduced screen time can support independent study routines and syllabus-aligned practice.

Structured educational resources, such as study guides and targeted workbooks, provide a reliable framework for consolidating knowledge without the interruptions commonly associated with digital platforms.

Supporting Emotional Development and Wellbeing

Adolescents benefit from environments that allow for gradual, supported identity development. A decrease in online social pressures, including comparison, performance anxiety and exposure to harmful content, has been shown to allow students to engage in healthier social interactions and develop resilience through offline experiences.

In fact, some schools are already testing these ideas in practice. For example, just over a year ago, a girls' private boarding school in NSW replaced students' smartphones with basic Nokia handsets. The "dumb" phones, which allow calls and texts but not internet, social media or apps, significantly changed how students spent their time.

According to staff, the result has been greater calm around social interactions, fewer distractions and more room for reflection, conversation and real-world connection. Such outcomes support the view that when screen-based pressure is reduced, students have more headspace for emotional growth, peer relationships and self-identity, all of which are crucial during adolescent years.

Reframing Study Habits in a Lower-Screen Environment

As many children experience a shift in their online behaviours, families and schools have an opportunity to help them establish new routines. These routines do not need to be complex. Evidence suggests that consistent, predicable study habits, such as reading regularly, practising skills in short focused sessions and reviewing material systematically, significantly improve academic outcomes.

Pascal Press resources are designed to support these routines. Our workbooks provide clear explanations, curriculum-aligned exercises and structured revision that help students stay engaged without relying on screen-based stimulation. They can serve as a practical tool for students adjusting to a learning environment with fewer online distractions. 

Encouraging a balanced approach, combining purposeful study with offline play outdoor activity and creative exploration, can help students build the habits and mindset needed for long-term academic growth.

Click here to explore our full range of workbooks across Excel, Targeting and ABC Readings Eggs, to support your child with their learning at every stage.

References

• BBC News. YouTube to be part of Australia’s youth social media ban.
• ABC News. Children and teenagers under 16 to be banned from social media after parliament passes world-first laws.
• Euronews. Australia’s world-leading social media ban for under-16s is ‘difficult to enforce’.
• Oswald, T.K., Rumbold, A.R., Kedzior, S.G.E., & Moore, V.M. (2020). Psychological impacts of “screen time” and “green time” for children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review. PLOS ONE, 15(9), e0237725.
• Walsh, J.J., et al. (2018). Associations between 24-hour movement behaviours and global cognition in U.S. children. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.