Australia's under 16 social media ban: Here's the impact so far

It's been a month since Australia prohibited social media for those under 16, and some teenagers appreciate the freedom, while others work around the rules.

The Online Safety Amendment Act mandates that leading social media platforms like Meta's Instagram, ByteDance's TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube, Elon Musk's X, and Reddit set up age verification systems using methods like selfie-based facial recognition, submitted ID documents, or linked bank details.

Technology companies — not parents or teenagers — are responsible for any violations, facing fines up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32 million) for non-compliance.

Some teens are exploring new routines, while others are dodging the rule. Amy, 14, has been journaling since the ban began. She noted that she feels "liberated" from the pressure of staying active on Snapchat — one of the platforms under the ban.

The BBC revealed that there was a surge in downloads of unaffected apps, like ByteDance-owned Lemon8, Yope, and Discord, after the regulation was enforced.

Downloads of VPNs, which obscure user locations to bypass regional restrictions, rose before the ban. 

However, the Australian government has caught on. Lemon8 now complies with age restrictions after deciding itself to be included under the ban, as per The West Australian.

Though complying, tech firms are pushing for government reconsideration.

Meta announced in January that it blocked over 500,000 accounts of under-16 users in Australia, but stated that age verification should also involve the app store. 

Reddit, also banned, has escalated the matter by challenging the Australian government in court, claiming the ban is impractical and limits young people's freedom of expression.

The interest among the UK and the US politicians is notable. According to a Fox News poll of over 1,000 registered voters, 64% supported a social media ban for under-16s and preventing cellphone use in K-12 classrooms.