Mixed Reactions Greet Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban

Australia has implemented a new social media ban for children under 16, which took effect on Wednesday, following concerns about online safety.

The measure comes after an Ofcom study found that 70 per cent of 11- to 17-year-olds had seen or heard harmful content online over four weeks.

The implementation has already triggered emotional scenes nationwide, with parents reporting that their children were left distraught after being locked out of their favourite platforms.

Some young users were also reported to be bypassing the restrictions by fooling age-estimation technology, such as drawing on fake facial hair, or by using their parents’ or older siblings’ accounts to regain access.

For some families, the impact is not just emotional but financial. Simone Clements, an Australian citizen, and mother to 15-year-old twins, Carlee and Hayden, said the ban would come at a cost to them, as they rely on social media to build their careers.

Carlee is an actor, model, dancer, singer, and influencer, while her brother is an actor and model. Both teenagers have used their online presence to grow their followings and generate income.

Under the new rules, major social media platforms face fines of up to $49.5m (£25m) if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to remove accounts belonging to underage users.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has borne the brunt of public criticism, losing more than 6,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram since Tuesday.

Albanese admitted that the rollout “won’t be perfect” but described it as “the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies”.

However, despite the backlash, the ban has been widely welcomed by many who argued that it is a necessary step to protect children from harmful content and online exploitation.

Still, many teenagers spent their final hours online criticising the government, arguing that the policy is overly restrictive and fails to address the broader issues around online safety.