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AUSTRALIA has embarked on an unprecedented social media experiment, officially barring children under 16 from using major platforms, in a move aimed at protecting young users’ safety and wellbeing.
Reuters reported on Thursday that the ban, which took effect yesterdey with bipartisan support and the backing of roughly three-quarters of Australian parents, targets ten of the largest platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, imposing fines of up to A$49.5 million for non-compliance.
Despite the law’s launch, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged that some underage users remain active a day later, describing the rollout as “bumpy” but asserting that the initiative would ultimately save lives.
“Of course it isn’t smooth,” Albanese told Melbourne’s FOX radio. “You can't in one day switch off over a million accounts across the board. But it is happening.” He added on Sydney’s Nova Radio, “If it was easy, someone else would have done it.”
The legislation has immediately sparked global interest, with governments in France, Denmark, Malaysia, and others signalling intentions to study the Australian model, while U.S. Republican Senator Josh Hawley endorsed the move.
The eSafety Commissioner, Australia’s internet regulator, will monitor the implementation, requesting platforms report numbers of under-16 accounts before and after the ban.
The immediate aftermath saw a surge of social media activity from minors, including posts on Albanese’s own TikTok account claiming “I’m still here, wait until I can vote.”
Public interest in VPNs, which can circumvent location restrictions, spiked to a decade-high, with one provider, hide.me, reporting a 65 percent increase in Australian traffic in the days leading up to the ban.
The global response has been heated and varied. U.S. psychologist Jonathan Haidt praised the initiative as “Bravo Australia” on X, while the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, cautioned that age restrictions alone cannot replace better platform design and content moderation.
Conversely, U.S. conspiracy theorist Alex Jones denounced the ban as “the holy grail of tyranny” and “the training wheels for the internet ID.”
Albanese, speaking at a Canberra school, defended the measure, claiming it would improve educational outcomes and student behaviour by reducing the constant distractions of device usage. Meanwhile, platforms not covered by the ban, such as Lemon8 and Yope, have seen rapid growth among Australian users, with Lemon8 instituting its own age minimum of 16.
While the rollout is still in its early stages, the Australian government has emphasised that compliance and monitoring are ongoing.
Observers worldwide are closely watching whether the initiative will achieve its goal of safeguarding children while reshaping the social media landscape for younger audiences. - December 11, 2025