There’s been a lot of talk and confusion about the government’s proposed social media ban for under-16s.

Those working in the field of social media and marketing are particularly concerned, with their industry being impacted by the planned legislation.

Nicole Jameson from social media marketing agency Dark Horse said that the plan, announced in November last year, still has a lot of grey areas.

“The government hasn’t been super clear about what will be included in the ban,” she said, “but the CliffsNotes are: it’s aimed at protecting young people’s mental health.”

The proposed legislation looks to ban social media use for anyone under 16. The ban is expected to come into effect by December this year.

However, there are still many unanswered questions:

• Which platforms are included?
• How will they verify users’ ages?
• What data will they collect?

These details are being worked out over the coming months.

Why 16?

The age limit isn’t random. Nicole explained, “16 is when most kids get their first government ID, usually a learner’s permit. It’s easier to link their age to something official.”

But how this will be enforced raises concerns. Nicole pointed out, “For this to work, every Australian will likely need to prove they’re over 16. That means digital IDs for everyone.”

Concerns About Digital IDs

Nicole’s biggest concern is privacy: “We’ll all need digital IDs to access social media.”

That’s of particular concern for young people who struggle to get any form of ID, especially those who are homeless or disconnected from their families.

Platforms like Meta have already pushed back on the Australian government’s plan, calling it censorship.

Where Did the Ban Idea Come From?

The push originally came from a parent-led activist group called 36 Months, co-led by Sydney radio personality Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli,  advocating for kids to stay off social media longer to protect their mental health. A South Australian politician then ran with the idea, fast-tracking it without wide community consultation.

Nicole says she is cautious. “It feels like the government was very keen to move quickly. That raises questions about whether this is more about control tracking what people do online than just helping young people.”

Stress on Young People

Listeners also raised concerns that the ban could actually increase stress for teenagers.

Nicole agrees. “At 16, kids are already dealing with big changes—getting their driver’s license, starting Year 11 or 12. Suddenly giving them full access to social media at that age, without teaching them how to manage it, is wild.”

Instead of a hard age limit, Nicole believes education is key. “It’s about how they’re prepared to handle social media, not just their age.”

Which Platforms Are Banned?

Right now, the platforms facing bans for under 16s include:

• TikTok
• Snapchat
• Facebook
• Instagram

However, some apps are excluded. YouTube, for example, is seen as “primarily educational.” Nicole questions this decision: “Clearly none of them have used YouTube Shorts. It’s addictive, algorithm-driven, and full of potentially harmful content.”

Other platforms like WhatsApp and standard messaging are also excluded.

Will Kids Just Find a Workaround?

Another big challenge is how effective the ban will be. Nicole says that young people are tech-savvy. “They’ll find a way around it—whether it’s fake IDs or moving to new platforms.”

With hundreds of new social media apps launching every year, keeping up will be like “playing whack-a-mole,” Nicole said.

Final Thoughts

While the goal of protecting young people’s mental health is commendable, the details of the ban raise serious questions:

• How will it impact privacy and digital freedom?
• How will it be enforced fairly and effectively?
• Will it actually help, or create more stress and barriers?

Article supplied with thanks to Sonshine.

Feature image: Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash