Experts say the federal government social media inquiry is deeply flawed. 

The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC) has presented recommendations aiming to shift the focus of the federal probe from protecting children from the digital environment to protecting them within it. 

They say the inquiry will not otherwise have a nuanced understanding of digital risks and opportunities.

The DMRC has expressed significant concerns regarding the direction of the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society's inquiry. 

The research centre is calling for the development of free, high-quality, age-appropriate digital products and services, designed with input from young users. 

They argue that protecting children within the digital environment, rather than shielding them from it, is a more effective strategy. 

Additionally, the DMRC calls for greater oversight and transparency of targeted advertising on digital platforms to understand and mitigate its societal and cultural impacts.

Supporting Australian media companies involved in public-interest journalism is another key recommendation. The DMRC says that these companies should receive financial support through corporate taxes levied on large online platforms. This approach is proposed as an alternative to the current News Media Bargaining Code, which the DMRC deems unsustainable. 

The QUT experts also stress the importance of digital media literacy programs for media workers to help reduce the spread of misinformation and disinformation.

To enhance research capabilities, the DMRC recommends the introduction of comprehensive data access provisions for independent, public-interest research, similar to those established in Europe by the Digital Services Act. 

They also emphasise the need for new regulations to align with ongoing policy reforms to avoid redundancy and enhance efficacy.

Professor Dan Angus, Director of the DMRC, says there are profound concerns about the inquiry's framing and potential negative outcomes. 

He said there is a tendency to blame “social media” broadly without considering the diverse nature of platforms and their respective communities and moderation strategies.

“Even for the most well-intentioned, it’s tempting to point the finger at ‘social media’ - a term itself that is unhelpful considering the vast breadth of platforms, each with their various communities, content moderation approaches, and communicative affordances,” he said.

The submission critiques the inquiry's assumptions and warns of unintended consequences that could harm Australian digital communication users, especially young and marginalised populations. 

Dr Angus noted the risk of reactionary regulations that do not address deeper societal issues.

“A quick-fix ‘solution’ that assuages the purported ‘scourge’ of social media is likely to result in hastily developed and flawed digital media regulation that not only fails to address underlying societal problems, but further disadvantages the already disempowered,” he said. 

The QUT DMRC's submission aims to redirect the inquiry towards evidence-based, constructive approaches to managing digital environments. 

The full submission is available online.