The Australian Government has made a very catastrophic mistake by banning social media for Australians under 16. In this blog, I talk about why this is such a catastrophic mistake and why the government needs to rethink ASAP.
For those who do not know, the Australian government created a bill that bans social media platforms from letting children under 16 create or have a social media account. Most Australians know about the proposal by now.
As all of us can clearly see, this is a recipe for catastrophe. We use these platforms every day to communicate with not only our friends but also our family, and they are one of the main ways we learn what is going on in the world.
Multiple people, groups, communities, and even companies have tried calling this out but to no avail. The children of Australia deserve freedom of speech, though I do have to say that social media has gone out of hand for kids.
Why This Is a Catastrophic Mistake
This ban will lead to several negative consequences for young Australians, including:
- Social Isolation: We use social media to talk to our friends and family, to catch up, and to arrange hanging out at the nearest shopping center. Blocking us from doing this will ruin relationships and make it extremely hard to communicate.
- Educational Disadvantages: Social media is often used for educational purposes, including group projects and learning about news. This ban could hinder our ability to access resources that we need for school. And because YouTube is on this list, the amount of educational resources will be incredibly limited for students like me.
- Mental Health Impacts: While social media can have negative effects, it also provides support networks for lots of us. Removing access could cause severe mental health issues. We will talk more about this later.
- Digital Literacy: In today's world, digital skills are essential. Banning social media could limit opportunities for us to develop these skills.
But I do not think this ban is a good idea—it needs a rethink.
My Idea
Instead of having this ban for under 16s, the target age should change to under 13s. According to the eSafety, a solid 80% of Australians aged 8–12 have a social media account, despite minimum ages being 13 due to COPPA's data collection regulations.
Changing the age to under-13s will not affect as many people, and children that young should not have social media at that age anyway. They could talk to their friends using an alternative such as Messenger Kids or just spend time together in real life.
But for teenagers 13–16, they should be allowed to use social media as they are more mature and can handle the responsibilities that come with it. Plus, they need social media to communicate with their friends and family, and banning them from it will only lead to more problems.
The Side We Ignore
While this ban should be for under 13s, there are some things we need to be aware of or we are going to develop mental health issues.
- Cyberbullying: Social media can be a breeding ground for cyberbullying, which can have severe mental health impacts. We need to be aware of this and take steps to protect ourselves. According to eSafety, 44% of young people experienced cyberbullying within the last six months alone, including 15% receiving threats or abuse online (2021).
- Addiction: Social media can be addictive, and we need to be aware of the signs of addiction and take steps to limit our use.
- Privacy Concerns: We need to be aware of the privacy concerns associated with social media and take steps to protect our personal information.
- Letting Parents Guide: Most social media platforms have parental control settings to protect us online, but some parents neglect these settings or ignore them because "oh my child is a sweetie." We need to make sure parents can guide children to be safe online.
- Online "PDFs": If you do not know what a PDF is (not the file format), it is someone above 18 who does incredibly questionable things to children. Social media can also be the best place for these people to lurk around, especially places like Roblox.
- Screen Time: According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, for 12–13 year olds, more than three hours on average per weekday and almost four hours per weekend day are spent on screens. This means that up to 30% of a child’s waking time is spent in front of a screen. We need to be very careful about the time we spend online.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the intention behind the social media ban for under 16s may be to protect young Australians, it is a catastrophic mistake that could lead to social isolation, educational disadvantages, mental health impacts, and limited digital literacy. Instead, the government should consider changing the target age to under 13s, while also addressing the issues of cyberbullying, addiction, privacy concerns, parental guidance, online predators, and screen time.
But Wait, There Is More
YOU can help change the age limit on social media. There is an online petition you can fill out to help change what happens. Go to the Australian Parliament House Petitions page to stop the government taking our rights as the future of Australia.
Last updated November 8, 2025 2:35PM AEDT