Jan. 17, 2025
By Zana Lacka
Staff Writer
The Australian Parliament passed a law on Nov. 28, 2024 banning social media for children under 16. This legislation is the first of its kind in the world.
It will make social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok and X liable for fines up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million USD) if they allow underage youths to hold accounts. The platforms have one year to figure out how to implement the ban before the government begins enforcing penalties.
Despite the hefty fines, platforms are not permitted to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents such as driver’s licenses or passports. Furthermore, they may not demand digital identification through a government system.
Asserting that the law is rushed and unworkable, the platforms unsuccessfully urged the Senate to delay the vote until June 2025, when age assurance technologies will report on how to exclude young children.
Sophomore Eymen Mutcali said he disagrees with Australia’s new law.
“Almost all kids communicate using social media these days, so it is a bad idea to take it all away from them,” Mutcali said. “This ban limits kids’ communication and makes them feel disconnected.”
Mutcali said social media allows kids to access entertainment and news while gaining exposure to other people and places.
“There are dangers online, but the government is failing to look at the positives,” Mutcali said.
Sophomore Allyson Sarmiento said she supports the ban because it makes the internet safer for kids.
“It takes away risks to children on the internet like cyberbullying and mental illnesses,” Sarmiento said.
This ban provides no exceptions to children who have parental permission, and there is no known consequence for parents violating the law.
“They are going to lie about their age to try and use social media… but at least there is the risk of getting caught,” Sarmiento said.
She said without social media, kids will develop more genuine bonds.
“Young people would get more real interactions,” Sarmiento said. “[Communication] on the internet can be passed off in different ways, but in person there is less confusion and more honesty.”
Like Sarmiento, junior Gabby Bojarski said the ban will cause kids to spend more time socializing without their screens.
“This ban limits kids’ communication and makes them feel disconnected.”
“Since they can’t really use social media anymore, I think they should try to join sports or clubs and form in-person connections,΅ Bojarski said.
She said, especially with artificial intelligence, children are at risk of being exposed to fake news on social media.
“Kids are easily influenced, which can lead to bad things happening,” Bojarski said.
Advanced Placement Human Geography and World History teacher Mr. Spence said he sees both the positive and negative effects of the ban since each student has a different relationship with social media.
“Some students know how to use social media as a tool to help them better understand content that’s been given in class,” Spence said. “But then there are students that can’t self-regulate and get distracted.”
Spence said he is interested in seeing how the Australian government will enforce the new legislation.
“It’s one thing to say no one under 16 can participate in social media, but how do you ensure that is the case?” Spence said. “On the surface, it sounds like a really good idea, but we need to see how it’s developed.”
