Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral International Desk
Australia has entered a new digital era as it begins enforcing its controversial move to remove children under 16 from social media. The government has framed the shift as a necessary intervention to protect young people from online harm, but many kids have no intention of logging off. In fact, a recent survey of more than 17,000 Australian youths showed that three-quarters plan to keep using social platforms even after the ban begins, and only a small fraction believe the change will work. In the days leading up to the rollout, teens traded tips on bypassing restrictions and encouraged each other to migrate to more obscure apps, raising fresh concerns about children drifting into even less regulated online spaces. With the ban landing just as the long summer holiday begins, the timing adds a layer of complexity for families and regulators.
While Australia describes the legislation as world-leading, skepticism remains widespread. Hard age limits might block some young teens today only to usher them in the moment they turn 16, without ever addressing the conditions that make these platforms risky in the first place. Research from the American Psychological Association has emphasized that age alone isn’t a reliable measure of digital readiness and that blanket bans don’t confront the underlying design choices that keep kids hooked. Even so, many Australians support the move, tired of hearing about the tragic consequences of unchecked online spaces. Reports of youth suicides, drug access and harassment have made it clear that the status quo isn’t working. Surveys from the US, UK and Australia continue to show alarming rates of online grooming, unwanted sexual content and growing concerns about the mental health impact of algorithm-driven feeds.
Critics argue the ban risks cutting off essential community spaces for marginalized young people, including LGBTQ, Indigenous and rural teens whose primary peer networks often exist online. Others point to loopholes: kids can still watch YouTube anonymously, and platforms like Roblox are exempt by categorizing their social features as gaming. And of course, many digitally savvy teens will inevitably find a way around the new rules. Still, the policy sends a clear message to Silicon Valley: governments are no longer willing to accept passivity from tech companies when it comes to youth safety. If more countries follow, platforms may be forced to redesign their systems, strengthen protections and take responsibility for growing evidence of harm.
Australia’s ban is far from perfect, and no one should expect it to trigger a nostalgic return to analog childhoods. But it has ignited a vital global debate about balancing protection with connection and about reshaping digital spaces to serve young people rather than endanger them. If raising a child takes a village, protecting them online requires an even larger one. Australia has taken a first step. Others will now have to decide whether they follow—or leave the future of childhood in the hands of tech giants.
