Australia becomes the first country in the world to ban teenagers from social media
Agency. Australia has become the first country in the world to completely ban children under the age of 16 from using social media. The move has been welcomed by parents and child rights advocates, but criticized by technology companies and free speech advocates.
Under the new law, which came into effect at midnight on Tuesday, 10 major platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, have been ordered to block access to users under the age of 16. Violations of the order could result in fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33 million). The rule, which is being closely watched by regulators around the world, Reuters reported.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described it as a “proud day for the family.”
“This will bring about a huge change. This is one of the biggest social and cultural transformations our nation has ever faced,” he said. It is a profound reform, the impact of which will reverberate around the world, he added.
In a video message, Albanese urged children to take up a new sport, learn a new instrument or read a book that has been sitting on the shelf for some time. Summer school holidays begin in Australia this month.
Teenagers’ reaction
Some teenagers under the age of 16 have expressed concerns about life without social media, while others have been neutral on the issue.
Claire Nee, 14, says, “I’m not very emotional, I’m very neutral.” Similarly, Luna Dijon, 15, said she still has access to TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, but expressed concern that the ban could lead to “culture shock” once it’s fully implemented. “I think we’ll get used to it over time,” she said.
Although the Australian government has acknowledged that this rule will not be easy to enforce, it has said that about 200,000 accounts have been deactivated on TikTok alone as of Wednesday, and that millions more will be deactivated in the coming days.
Many of the estimated one million children affected by this new law have written ‘goodbye’ messages on social media.
“There is no more social media… we no longer have direct contact with the world,” a teenager wrote on TikTok.
‘Now that I’m 16, I’ll be back again,’ someone else wrote.
The global impact of the rule
After a year of debate over whether any country can actually keep children off such social platforms, Australia’s decision has now launched a ‘live test’ for other countries around the world.
The rule was introduced in response to the risks of mental health problems, misinformation, online abuse, and body image misconceptions among young people due to excessive use of social media. Meanwhile, many countries, from Denmark to New Zealand and Malaysia, have indicated that they will study or follow this model.
Elon Musk’s social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) has said it will comply.
“This is not our choice, it is required by Australian law,” X wrote on its website, adding that the system automatically removes users who do not meet the age requirements.
Social and economic impact
While social media platforms say they do not generate significant advertising revenue from users under 16, they have warned that the ban will block potential future users. Before the ban, 86 percent of Australian children aged 8 to 15 used social media.
Some teenagers are saying that the ban will alienate young people like them who are ‘looking for community’.
“It will be even harder for people in the queer community or those with special interests, because that’s the only way to find a community that’s like theirs,” says 14-year-old Annie Wang.
“Some people used this medium to express their feelings, seek help… So it may be okay for some, but for others, mental health may worsen,” she added.
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