Evidence-based analysis of how social media algorithms shape the mental health trajectories of Australian children and young people. All data sourced from government, statutory, and academic research.
Each platform is independently scored across five evidence-based harm dimensions: algorithmic aggressiveness, age verification strength, cyberbullying prevalence, body image risk, and parental control quality. Updated as new data is published.
All charts are built directly from verified Australian government datasets and academic research. Sources are linked below each visualisation.
Every finding is directly sourced from academic research and verified Australian government publications. All reference links are publicly accessible.
Enter basic information about your child's social media use to receive an evidence-based personalised risk assessment with specific recommendations grounded in Australian research and government data.
Powered by AI grounded exclusively in SafeScroll Australia's verified evidence base. Ask plain-language questions about platform risks, research findings, or guidance specific to your situation. Responses cite the underlying Australian research sources.
Guides, toolkits, datasets, and support resources curated from Australia's leading government bodies, research organisations, and mental health services. All links are verified and freely accessible.
Official Australian Government resource with age-specific advice on managing your child's social media use, privacy settings, and device controls across all major platforms.
Step-by-step instructions from eSafety Commissioner for enabling the strongest available safety settings on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and Discord.
Practical conversation starters and clinical guidance from Australia's national youth mental health foundation for parents navigating difficult discussions about online safety.
Free lesson plans, student activities, and professional development resources aligned to the Australian curriculum on online safety, digital literacy, and cyberbullying prevention.
Evidence-based programs helping schools create mentally healthy environments and support student wellbeing, including resources on digital wellbeing and social media impacts.
Australia's leading youth mental health research and translation organisation. Resources include school-facing mental health literacy programs and research summaries for educators.
Australia's authoritative government dataset on youth health across multiple domains — mental health trends, psychological distress, self-harm hospitalisations, and social determinants.
Comprehensive national survey data on mental disorder prevalence, treatment access, and wellbeing across all Australian population groups with detailed age cohort breakdowns.
National survey of 1,504 Australian children aged 8–15, combined with platform transparency data from eight major social media services. The most comprehensive underage usage dataset available.
Plain-language guide for young Australians explaining how social media can affect mood, anxiety, and self-esteem, with practical strategies based on clinical evidence.
Young-person-designed guidance from headspace on recognising when social media is affecting your mental health and how to set boundaries that work for you.
What platforms are legally required to do to protect you, how to report harmful content, and how to get help if something goes wrong online, in plain language.
SafeScroll Australia is an independent, non-government project dedicated to translating academic research and Australian government data on social media's impact on minors into accessible, actionable information — for parents, educators, policymakers, and young people.
This project does not receive funding from social media companies. Every claim on this site is sourced from verified .gov.au publications, academic research publications, or accredited research bodies. All reference links are publicly accessible.
SafeScroll Australia was Architect, Orchastreted and built by Atiar Khan (Ati's Portfolio) , an independent researcher, as a personal research project bridging the gap between academic findings on social media's impact on youth and the everyday awareness needed by parents, educators, and communities — with a focus on digital wellbeing.
Full transparency is a core principle of SafeScroll Australia. Below is an explanation of how Platform Risk Index scores are constructed, what data sources are used, and the limitations of this analysis.