Australia bans social media for kids under 16
Wednesday, 12 Mar 2025
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Hello my fellow adults.
“The ban – which will not take effect for at least 12 months – could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don’t comply.”
The govt put the pressure on the tech companies instead of the kids. Smart move, another revenue generating outlet for the government.
How does this actually work in practice?
How is this being implemented exactly? Forced government id registration for users with Australian IPs? Or do they just have to lie about their age when they make an account?
I don’t think it will stop children under 16 from being able to access social media.
I have two teens and trying to implement it will prove difficult especially as the oldest has had SM for a good year.
I’ll have to read more about this “ban” to understand it properly. But it’s probably just a case of ticking boxes that you’re over 16 or having to ask parental permission.
It’s weird Reddit is okay with this but flips there shit about red states making porn sites confirm user’s age.
We’ve all ticked the box to say that we’re over 18 years old, it doesn’t stop anyone there so it will not stop anyone here.
App: “Are you over 18?”
Kid: ✅
Massive L. You don’t stop the kids from using social media, you stop social media from using predatory algorithms and tactics.
We are going down a very dark path. Soon the government will claim they can’t control it, and all social media must be linked to your MyID. Year’s later governments can easily change it into laws to spy. Cannot trust this nazi government in power.
Nice, if only every country did this maybe we’d have less dumb kids.
Kids under 16 are banned from pornography and have been for decades and it’s been a flawless success.
The most impotent of bans. If you don’t log in you can still see everything. It doesn’t block anything truly harmful to underage kids.
This is just a wedge to introduce a mandatory digital ID for everyone.
What happened to parents parenting?
Honestly smart. Would prevent lots of grooming and poisoning of young minds.
We’re all struggling to afford groceries, in the midst of a housing crisis, homelessness rising. Jobs stagnating. Mass immigration choking the country. But at least our kids aren’t using social media. Fuck our country is so backwards
I’ve always wondered how you can even enforce something like this?
Social media is a cancer. Including reddit.
Good luck trying to implement it.
Doesn’t sound very practical at all. The cat is out of the bag, there’s no stuffing that cat back in there. Social media is just a thing, a thing that is coveted above all by the younger generation.
I support the sentiment behind the idea, but I can’t see anything working.
How will this be enforced?
Don’t get surprised if some social media gets out of Australia lol
I’d vote against this in America
Words of my 15 year old, “um, ok”
These kids have had parents, tech, and teachers trying to keep them off social their whole life.
Actually Amazing news
Good
they will be using facial recognition to log into the apps. a company already has the contract for it
And this is going to stop…hold on…need to run the calculation- NOBODY
This is what America needs.
Honestly, they’re doing the kids a favor. The internet isn’t as fun when you’re being cyberbullied by a 12-year-old in a Fortnite hoodie. Guess it’s time for kids to go back to the old-school pastime of actually talking to each other. BUT
No social media for kids under 16.’ Meanwhile, teenagers are already mastering VPNs.
Bet there are a bunch of kids on here right now. Just outsmarted the government and their parents.
I’m not Australian but I approve this
W!