A panel of experts will discuss the legal and policy considerations around Australia’s world-first social media age restrictions at biennial event The French Dialogues next month.
The French Dialogues – named in honour of former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and former Chancellor of The University of Western Australia, the Hon. Robert French AC – bring together leading experts to explore pressing legal and social topics.
This year’s public event, to be held at UWA on Tuesday 1 September, will feature Professor French speaking alongside Independent Federal Member for Curtin Kate Chaney and UWA Law School Associate Professor Marilyn Bromberg.
All three panellists have a connection to the Federal Government’s introduction of the social media age limit in December 2025.
While still at UWA Chancellor Professor French wrote a report for the South Australian Parliament on the minimum age for social media and the law.
His report later formed the basis for the federal legislation, which requires social media platforms to take reasonable steps to restrict Australians under the age of 16 from creating or keeping accounts on their services. The legislation applies to platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick, and Reddit.
Ms Chaney, a UWA law graduate with experience in commercial law and community legal services, has advocated in Federal Parliament for evidence-based policymaking and has contributed to discussions on social media regulation, online harm and emerging technologies.
Associate Professor Bromberg – Deputy Head of School (Community and Engagement) at UWA’s Law School and a researcher with a focus on social media law, public health law and body image regulation – is recognised for her expertise on the social media ban and contributed research to inform Justice French’s report.
She said the Federal Government’s legislation requiring social media companies to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under age 16 from using social media had attracted considerable controversy.
“We will discuss some of this controversy at the French Dialogues, along with the evidence about the ban’s efficacy, the background to its creation, similar legislative measures taken in other jurisdictions and the Federal Government’s steps toward creating a Digital Duty of Care,” Associate Professor Bromberg said.
“I highly recommend that anyone who is concerned about protecting children online or online safety generally attends.”
The French Dialogues Lecture 2026: The Minimum Age to Use Social Media and the Law will run from 5.30pm to 6.30pm in the Social Sciences Lecture Theatre at UWA.
To register for the free event, head here.
Image above: L-R Independent Federal Member for Curtin Kate Chaney, the Hon. Robert French AC, UWA Law School Associate Professor Marilyn Bromberg