Jul 23, 2026 · 29 min · 11 segments
In this episode of ***Essential Ethics***, recorded at the 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference, nurse **Elise Burn** explores…
Alys ByrneGuest
John MassieHost
My name is Alys Byrne, and as Tamara said, I'm a clinical nurse consultant at the Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane.
Before I start, I just want to acknowledge that all the images in my presentation, unless obviously pop culture references, are AI-generated and not real young people or real social media accounts.
Um, my presentation today focuses on exploring the ethical challenges of navigating adolescent healthcare when young people post about their health on social media.
For young people living with chronic or complex illnesses, social media can become both a space of connection and a stage for identity formation, whilst also providing a source of information and advice.
Yet the rise of young people publishing their illness identity online raises pressing ethical questions for clinicians.
Should we access or consider what a young patient publicly shares online, particularly when such content may offer insights into risk, distress, or therapeutic engagement? Or should we always uphold the patient's right to privacy? With Australia approaching changes in legislation relating to young people's access to social media by the end of this year, this topic feels pressing as clinicians, families, and policymakers grapple with how best to balance safety, autonomy, and trust in an evolving digital landscape.
My name is Alys Byrne, and as Tamara said, I'm a clinical nurse consultant at the Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane.
Before I start, I just want to acknowledge that all the images in my presentation, unless obviously pop culture references, are AI-generated and not real young people or real social media accounts.
Um, my presentation today focuses on exploring the ethical challenges of navigating adolescent healthcare when young people post about their health on social media.
For young people living with chronic or complex illnesses, social media can become both a space of connection and a stage for identity formation, whilst also providing a source of information and advice.
Yet the rise of young people publishing their illness identity online raises pressing ethical questions for clinicians.
Should we access or consider what a young patient publicly shares online, particularly when such content may offer insights into risk, distress, or therapeutic engagement? Or should we always uphold the patient's right to privacy? With Australia approaching changes in legislation relating to young people's access to social media by the end of this year, this topic feels pressing as clinicians, families, and policymakers grapple with how best to balance safety, autonomy, and trust in an evolving digital landscape.
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