Beyond social media: Closing the awareness, connection, and contribution gap for young voices

Australia’s law banning social media use for children under 16 went into effect last December, marking a world-first effort to restrict social media use for developing youth.

The ban aims to protect young Australians from online harms, including cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, addictive algorithms, and mental health pressures. Supporters argue it delays exposure to social media pressures, allowing teens to develop digital literacy, emotional resilience, and identity formation before engaging online.

While the law certainly comes from a good place — seeking to protect children from the harms of social media — it presents a challenge for government organisations that want to engage positively with young people. The lack of social media creates a gap in three critical areas:

• Awareness: How do young people discover opportunities to participate?
• Connection: Where can they interact safely online to feel part of their community?
• Contribution: How do they influence decisions and see their input reflected in outcomes?

If young people don’t know what’s happening, they can’t engage. If they lack distinct spaces to connect, they lose a sense of belonging. And if they can’t see how their input shapes decisions, trust erodes. This moment calls for a new engagement ecosystem that ensures young voices are informed, included, and influential. 

What we’re hearing

Government organisations in Australia have told us social media was one of the few places they could engage young people, stating, “their voice will be missed.”

Agencies that want to engage with young people in geographically remote locations face increased challenges. These concerns reflect a real challenge: Without social media, discovery becomes harder, and connection risks being fragmented. 

Social platforms weren’t perfect, but they offered immediacy and convenience for young people to find out what was happening and participate asynchronously. Losing that channel means agencies need to create new pathways for awareness and connection — built on safety, intentionality, and inclusion. 

To address this, agencies need multi-channel communication strategies that meet young people (and their families) where they spend time. That means leveraging schools, libraries, youth services, and community networks, supported by digital tools that make outreach targeted and timely. 

The connection imperative

Awareness alone isn’t enough. Young people need spaces to connect, share ideas, and feel part of something bigger. The social media ban “removes an easy and asynchronous way of reaching them,” said one government representative.

Creating safe, moderated environments is essential — not just for compliance, but for trust and inclusion. These spaces should feel welcoming, mobile-friendly, and designed for quick, meaningful interactions. 

The contribution pathway

Connection matters, but so does influence. Young people need clear pathways to contribute to decisions and see their input reflected in outcomes. This means: 

• Using tools like forums, ideas boards, and Q&A for structured input.
• Publishing “You said, we did” updates to demonstrate impact.
• Closing the feedback loop to build trust and confidence.

Building a new engagement ecosystem

This is where Engagement Cloud from Granicus comes in. It is not a replacement for social media, but a bridge to a more resilient engagement model:

• Awareness: Advanced segmentation and multichannel outreach (email, web) ensure young people and families receive relevant, timely updates
• Connection: The Sentiment & Feedback capability (EngagementHQ) provides moderated, purpose-built spaces for participation and dialogue.
• Integration: Combined digital hubs with offline strategies such as school newsletters, QR codes at events, and partnerships with youth services.
• Innovation: Gamification, youth advisory panels, and mobile-first design make participation engaging and accessible.

What agencies can do now: A practical checklist

1. Create a central youth hub

• Set up a dedicated online project space with friendly language, visuals, and short-form tools.
• Use and promote the Sentiment & Feedback capability’s pre-moderation features for safe online engagement.

2. Build awareness through multi-channel outreach

• Use segmentation to target families, schools, and youth networks with relevant updates.
• Share links via newsletters and QR codes on posters and event materials.

3. Partner for reach

• Collaborate with schools, libraries, and youth services to amplify your hub.
• Provide ready-made content for their newsletters and digital channels.

4. Design for mobile and accessibility

• Run quick polls, micro-surveys, and ideas boards that work seamlessly on phones to encourage engagement.
• Use plain language and inclusive visuals.

5. Innovate for engagement

• Introduce gamification elements (challenges or leaderboards) to make participation fun.
• Co-design with youth advisory panels to ensure relevance.

6. Offer private spaces for targeted engagement

• Create closed, invitation-only projects for specific youth groups (e.g., schools, advisory panels).
• Use role-based access and group permissions to ensure privacy and safety.
• Combine these spaces with moderated tools like Q&A, ideas boards, and polls for meaningful input.

7. Close the loop

• Publish “You said, we did” updates and short videos showing impact.
• Share outcomes across all channels to reinforce trust and visibility.

8. Monitor and adapt

• Track participation metrics and feedback to adjust strategy.

Closing thought

The social media ban changes the channels, but it doesn’t change the principle: Young people deserve a voice, a space to connect, and a way to influence decisions. By moving beyond likes and algorithms, we can build engagement ecosystems that are safer, more inclusive, and more impactful. 

We can work with you to: 

• Design a youth engagement approach that fills the awareness, connection, and contribution gap.
• Configure Engagement Cloud for multichannel outreach and safe participation spaces.
• Create feedback loops that show young people their input matters.
• Support your team with strategies, templates, and best practices for inclusive engagement.

Talk to us to explore how we can help you navigate this change and build a stronger, more resilient youth engagement ecosystem.