Australia's pioneering social media ban has finally come into effect, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing it as "world-leading". The move, which restricts under-16s from accessing popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, was met with enthusiasm by many Australians in the 12 months since its introduction. A whopping two-thirds of voters supported the ban, as did the major political parties.
The government has been keen to promote the policy globally, spending a significant amount on marketing efforts - including £75,000 at the United Nations in September, which sparked debate about the cost of the campaign. News Corp's "Let Them Be Kids" campaign was hailed by Albanese as one of the most effective uses of print media he'd ever seen.
However, not all is rosy under the ban. Many tech companies initially opposed the move, with YouTube threatening to sue and Elon Musk's X only confirming its compliance on the day the ban came into effect. Reddit has since taken a different tack, but it too has found itself in court, challenging the law over freedom of political communication.
The rollout has been largely smooth, with most platforms implementing age verification measures or using existing signals to identify under-16s. However, there have been reports of teenagers exploiting loopholes and even finding ways to access the banned sites. The government remains confident that its efforts will ultimately succeed in restricting access to social media for young Australians.
While some have welcomed the ban as a necessary measure to curb online bullying and mental health issues, others have raised concerns about its impact on isolated communities and regional towns where many teenagers lack internet access. One father who campaigned tirelessly for the law after his son took his own life due to online bullying believes that education and support will be key to equipping teens with the skills they need when they turn 16.
As the dust settles on this significant policy change, critics have warned that it's only a test of whether the government's efforts will truly make a difference. The coming years will bring more scrutiny, including review in 2027 and potential legal challenges next year.
The government has been keen to promote the policy globally, spending a significant amount on marketing efforts - including £75,000 at the United Nations in September, which sparked debate about the cost of the campaign. News Corp's "Let Them Be Kids" campaign was hailed by Albanese as one of the most effective uses of print media he'd ever seen.
However, not all is rosy under the ban. Many tech companies initially opposed the move, with YouTube threatening to sue and Elon Musk's X only confirming its compliance on the day the ban came into effect. Reddit has since taken a different tack, but it too has found itself in court, challenging the law over freedom of political communication.
The rollout has been largely smooth, with most platforms implementing age verification measures or using existing signals to identify under-16s. However, there have been reports of teenagers exploiting loopholes and even finding ways to access the banned sites. The government remains confident that its efforts will ultimately succeed in restricting access to social media for young Australians.
While some have welcomed the ban as a necessary measure to curb online bullying and mental health issues, others have raised concerns about its impact on isolated communities and regional towns where many teenagers lack internet access. One father who campaigned tirelessly for the law after his son took his own life due to online bullying believes that education and support will be key to equipping teens with the skills they need when they turn 16.
As the dust settles on this significant policy change, critics have warned that it's only a test of whether the government's efforts will truly make a difference. The coming years will bring more scrutiny, including review in 2027 and potential legal challenges next year.
. On one hand, I can see why they wanna protect those young minds from online bullying and mental health issues - it's a real concern 
. But on the other hand, I worry that some of these loopholes might be exploited by teens who just want to chill online without their parents breathing down their necks 
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. Education and support are key, as one dad said - we need to make sure our teens have the skills they need to navigate online safely, regardless of whether or not they can get onto social media 
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. Will it make a real difference? Only time will tell 
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My mates were all super excited about it when it first came out, but now that it's actually happening, I don't know if I agree with it. I mean, isn't the internet just a part of life at this stage? 
And what about all those teens who are gonna be stuck in rural towns without access to their fave platforms? That sounds super harsh. 
Can't we just try to educate them on how to use these things responsibly instead? 
. And £75k spent on marketing? That's a pretty penny for a campaign 
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. Two-thirds of voters got behind this move, which shows people are ready for some real change. I've been saying it for ages - our youth deserve better than to be constantly bombarded with fake news and online drama 
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. Bring on the reviews and challenges - I'm confident that Australia's got this! 
i mean, come on two-thirds of voters said yes to the ban and it's been implemented smoothly so far 
especially considering all those mental health issues and cyberbullying cases that are literally ruining lives 
we need to protect our kids from that toxic online world and this ban is a major step in the right direction 
. And what's with all the money being spent on marketing? £75k at the UN? That's a pretty penny 
... Plus, it's already causing problems for some tech companies. YouTube's even threatening to sue! 
What's the government gonna do about that? Not addressing these concerns just gonna make things worse 
I mean, sure, it's great that the government is trying to curb online bullying and mental health issues, but are they doing enough to support these kids when they turn 16? Shouldn't we be focusing on education and digital literacy instead of just banning certain sites? 
. But yeah, I get why some tech companies were opposed to it... YouTube and Elon Musk's X being all salty about it 
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That's a whole different problem. And what about all the teens who can already figure out ways to bypass the age restrictions?