It’s been a few days since Australia’s under-16s social media ban came into effect, and the world is watching and waiting for the data on how effective Australia’s approach will be, with many other regions considering similar restrictions on young users.
So, what’s the word so far?
Well, being in Australia and the parent of two teenagers who are directly affected by the change, I can tell you that not much has changed.
Sure, some young people no longer have access to some accounts, but others have not been affected, while they have also come up with solutions and different ways to stay in touch.
It hasn’t been a total blackout among young teens, as many expected.
The Australian government has done that acknowledged thisnoticing that “There will still be children there [social media] accounts on December 10, and probably for some time afterwards.”
But over time, the government believes that the threat of heavy fines (up to $50 million) for violations will lead platforms to crack down on pre-teen use and prevent those under 16 from accessing most apps.
According to the Australian Minister of Communications Anika Wells:
“The government recognizes that it may take several days or even weeks for the age guarantee to be completed fairly and accurately. However, if eSafety identifies systemic violations of the law, the platforms will face fines.”
So it may be too early to expect real consequences, but the initial message is that the approach is unlikely to be as effective as initially hoped.
The biggest problem here is that social media is now such an important part of today’s connection that you can’t expect kids not to use it. The counter argument put forward by the Australian government on this is that children also want to try alcohol, and making it illegal has had a huge impact. But social media is different, in that it connects children to information and entertainment, and the negative aspects, while disturbing, are also indirect, in that some users will find it very valuable, and others will be affected in a negative way.
Therefore, a blanket ban is probably not the best approach, unlike alcohol, which has universal health consequences.
That’s part of the argument Reddit is using challenges the Australian government’s social media ban on under-16s in the High Courtwhile a few Australian teenagers have done the same themselves have mounted their own challenge to the Supreme Courtunder the ban is unconstitutional because it disrupts free political communication.
Both cases could provide compelling evidence that contradicts the government’s position, given that there are conflicting reports about the consequences of social media use, and it will be interesting to see how the court rules on both cases.
But in reality, a better alternative, as pitched by many academics and the platforms themselves, is more digital literacy education, which accepts the valuable role that social media now plays in modern life, and which aims to better understand how to manage your time and experience and how to prevent harm.
Because whether they are 14 or 16, children will face the same problems at some point.
The Australian government says it is also aware of an increase in downloads in alternative social media apps in response to the restrictions, and is monitoring activity on these platforms for possible extended action.
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