Millions of teenagers and children less than 16 years of age have lost access to their social media accounts after the Australian government started implementing a law that banned social media access to those below 16 years of age.
The ban took effect on Wednesday, and several platforms, such as Threads, Facebook, YouTube, X, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok and many others were expected by the government to suspend or deactivate the accounts of Australian users who are below 16 years of age. The platforms are also expected to prevent underage users from opening alternative accounts after the removal of their previous accounts.
As the ban takes effect, some glitches are already manifesting. For example, several reports show that many teens have passed facial tests intended to exclude those below 16 from having social media accounts.
However, the federal government isn’t fazed by these setbacks in the implementation of the ban. Authorities say it is unrealistic to expect perfection from day one, and they are ready to work with the social media platforms to fix any issues that arise in the course of ensuring that minors are kept off social media.
The reactions of parents to this ban have been mixed. Some have reported that their children are distressed by the ban and wondered how they would be able to organize their social lives without access to the platforms that they have been using. Some parents have even gone as far as helping their kids to get workarounds to remain on social media. For example, one father admitted to teaching his daughter how to use VPNs and even helped the girl get an account as an adult despite being less than 16 years of age.
Other parents are happy the ban has finally taken effect. One mother said she was happy about the new law because it would help in getting her “addicted” daughter off social media.
Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia, said the country was committed to implementing this national standard of who can legally access social media, just as there is a minimum age for who can legally consume alcohol. He explained that some children are likely to find ways to access social media, but such incidents don’t detract from the necessity of having a minimum age at which social media access is acceptable. He added that the government would keep reviewing the progress of the ban and finding solutions to the different setbacks that arise.
Tech firms found to be violating this new law face hefty fines, and so far, only X hasn’t communicated its readiness to implement the age restriction imposed in Australia.
The world is watching how the Australian ban pans out, and tech giants like Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) will be monitoring how different countries respond to the example set in Australia where the first-ever such ban has taken effect.
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