A report by News Corp suggests an underground fight club has emerged in Queensland with students from schools in Logan, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Kingaroy allegedly posting on platforms including Instagram and TikTok.
But psychologist and researcher Dr Justin Coulson told Today parents need to be starting conversations with their children from a young age and monitoring what they are posting online.


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“It seems like social media is amplifying and magnifying, even accelerating something that’s always happened,” Coulson said.
“This is not a new phenomenon but the way that the social media platforms leverage this, turn it into – I am going to use the word ‘content’ – and then the kids get notoriety, they get likes, they get shares.”
With the trend appearing to emerge at more schools across Queensland, Coulson said he was speaking with parents and principals at schools right across the country.
He said the key was making sure parents speak with their children when they are younger and more likely to listen.
“By the time our kids are on Instagram and TikTok or participating in this kind of thing they’re very likely to be reaching the end of our capacity to influence them,” he said.
He said the best time to speak with children was around the age of 12 and most kids involved with these kinds of fight videos are going to be between 15 and 18 – possibly older.

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“Their willingness to sit down with parents and have healthy, safe conversations about this kind of thing those opportunities are few and far between and they’re less inclined to do that.
“They know what they want, therefore as parents we need to get in early and start these conversations from a young age. We need to be monitoring their online experience and their online lives.
“We have to have conversations with them about values – this sort of stuff comes down to good parenting.”
Watch the full segment with Dr Justin Coulson above.
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