World's First Social Media Ban Takes Effect in Australia

Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images via Time Magazine

On Dec. 10, Australia’s new social media ban took effect, setting a global precedent in the movement to limit youths’ social media usage.

Years of peer-reviewed research links heavy social media use to poor mental health, worsening body image, depression, and anxiety. The Australian government has likened this ban to cigarette and alcohol age restrictions that have helped protect youth for decades, according to The New York Times.

“This is Australia leading the world. This is Australia responding to what is a global issue,” Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told CNN.

This ban is taking a unique corporation-confronting approach: instead of punishing children and parents for opposing the ban, social media companies will face fines up to $49.5 million AUD ($45.4 million CAD) if they fail to take appropriate measures to uphold the age restriction. However, some advocacy groups are pushing for a harsher penalty, as large corporations like Meta make this amount in mere hours, which could reduce the efficacy of the punishment.

The Australian government hopes that this legislation will set a trend worldwide. Currently, many nations are watching Australia closely, along with numerous scientists studying groups of youth to determine the depth of the bans’ impacts.

Denmark has already announced a plan to ban social media for youth under 15, and Norway and France are considering a similar proposal, according to the BBC. Spain, the UK and the US state of Utah have also drafted new safety rules to set stricter guidelines around social media usage.

However, some critics argue that the ban was poorly organized and will prove ineffective. The first few days of the rollout have been inconsistent, with some teen accounts being banned, while others are not. Additionally, many worry that the ban may drive youth to other lesser-known apps with more lenient safety regulations, where they may be even more prone to cyberbullying and predatory behaviour. UNICEF released a public statement denouncing the law, stating that “Age restrictions must be part of a broader approach that […] avoids pushing [children] into unregulated, less safe spaces.”

Meanwhile, in the US, civil liberties groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Public Knowledge argue that these bans “unconstitutionally infringe on minors’ rights to access and share information online,” according to The Brookings Institution. The banned platforms have spoken out similarly against the law, with Reddit filing a lawsuit against Australia for infringing on “the implied freedom of political communication,” according to their court filing. 

Another key concern regarding the legislation is the protection of children’s online data privacy. To comply with Australia’s ban, platforms are using official documents and AI systems to verify and estimate users’ ages. This raises questions about how companies will collect and protect this sensitive data, and it introduces significant risks, including data breaches and misuse.

Many youth have also spoken out against the ban, claiming that social media provides them with a platform to connect with like-minded people and groups.

“At first [the ban] seemed like a good idea, but over time, I’ve become more and more against it,” Elena Mitrevska, an 18-year-old member of Australia’s eSafety Youth Council, shared with Wired. “I honestly think it is removing spaces for connection and community.”

However, in all, Australia’s citizens appear to approve of the ban. A November survey by YouGov found that 77 per cent of Australians support the under-16 social media ban, excluding those who did not provide an opinion. In addition, the survey found that Australians were overwhelmingly in favour of having stronger penalties for social media companies that fail to comply with the laws, at 87 per cent.