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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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Today, Australia has banned social-media access to anyone under 16, drawing global attention and debate among child-safety advocates, parents and teenagers.
While the move is framed as a protective measure against online harms, experts warn that, for parents, the ban won’t remove responsibility of monitoring their children's online footprint.
How Does the Ban Work?
The government has ordered social-media platforms including: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Twitch, Kick and Threads to remove any under-16 accounts. Newsweek reached out to all of the aforementioned social-media press offices for comment via email.
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The eSafety commissioner has said such platforms must show they have taken "reasonable steps" to prevent minors from opening accounts, or they could face fines of up to $49.5 million.
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The ban comes amid rising concerns about mental health, online exploitation and the impact of screen time on younger users. But specialists say the policy risks oversimplifying a problem that is far more complex. It is up to the social-media platforms themselves to ensure minors don't gain access.
The popular image-sharing app Snapchat told Newsweek said, although they "strongly disagree" with the ban, the company will disable the app for users under-16.
"Snapchat is and has always been a visual messaging app, primarily used for connection with your closest friends and family. We know that, for teens, maintaining friendships is a key contributor to happiness and well-being and are deeply saddened that young Aussies can no longer connect with their nearest and dearest via Snapchat," a spokesperson for Snapchat told Newsweek.
'Kids Will Always Find a Way Around It'
One of the most-common criticisms is that the ban will be extremely difficult to enforce.
Yaron Litwin, CMO of Canopy, told Newsweek the restrictions, while well-intentioned, it might be too difficult to enforce.
"Unfortunately, Australia's new restrictions will not solve all negative effects associated with social media and screen time. For instance, they do not address gaming and messaging platforms, even though they are frequented by predators and other bad actors," Litwin said.
"The law also relies on imperfect age-verification technologies, which kids are constantly finding ways around. It is great that governments are starting to take these issues seriously, but there is always work to be done. In any case, parents can never rely on legal or educational restrictions on devices and social platforms and need to invest time in discussing these topics with their children," he added.
Mandy Hoskinson, owner of Zolay, a social-media agency, echoed that concern. She told Newsweek that kids have always bypassed age limits online.
According to Hoskinson, bans often push teens into less-regulated digital spaces: "Instead of protecting them, a ban like this could actually make things riskier."
'Without Education and Platform Accountability, Little Will Change'
Media professor Andrew Selepak described the policy as short-sighted, arguing that regulating young people instead of the platforms themselves cannot meaningfully improve safety.
"Banning young people under the age of 16 from using social media to address the issue of the effects of social media on young people is like putting a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound. It may help, but it doesn’t address the cause of the problem," Selepak told Newsweek.
He said that real progress requires reforms at the tech-company level—such as limiting targeted advertising to minors, protecting children’s data, and implementing stronger content filters. He noted that media literacy education in Australia is inconsistent and underresourced, despite being one of the most-effective tools for long-term safety.
'Pressure on Tech Companies Is Necessary'
Not all experts oppose the ban outright. Ethical tech advocate Olivia DeRamus, founder of Communia, a social-media platform for women, told Newsweek that, while online safety is nuanced, governments sometimes need to take "dramatic deplatforming action" when major social-media companies fail to prioritize children’s safety.
"In this case, the extensive and even life-threatening harms outweigh the positive that can come from access to social media. While it's likely under-16s will find ways around the ban, we only see Big Tech platforms making safety improvements when under immense pressure from governments, so it's possible it will ultimately cause platforms like Meta to make critical changes, despite loopholes," DeRamus said.
Parents Urged To Focus on Mentorship—Not Surveillance
Across the board, specialists agree that regardless of legislation, parents remain the key factor in keeping kids safe online.
Aliah Singh, a K-12 school counselor and co-founder of CultivaTeen Roots, an online platform that supports parents and caregivers of tweens and teens, told Newsweek that, while the ban may have some benefits, adolescents could find a way around it.
"While Australia's social-media ban for under-16s is well intentioned and will surely have positive impacts, it also has some downsides," Singh said.
She urged parents to keep communication open and focus on helping kids build healthy digital habits rather than relying on punitive restrictions.
National digital parenting expert Abby Brody told Newsweek: "The main risk is that families may feel falsely reassured by a policy that is far easier to announce than to implement. The real work of digital safety—education, connection, and daily guidance—can’t be outsourced to legislation or algorithms. Families need support and tools, not just mandates."
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