Australia’s new law banning under-16s from roughly 10 major social platforms has been met with rapid workarounds: within 24 hours many teens were back using parents’ accounts, older friends’ details or AI-generated images to evade age checks. The government celebrated the law as a child-safety victory, but critics — including teens, young entrepreneurs and platform operators — say it may be ineffective and could harm youth-led businesses. Legal challenges, including one from Reddit, are already underway. Experts suggest targeted protections, limits and education may be more practical than a blanket ban.
Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Backfires as Teens Quickly Return to Apps
Under the legislation, the onus is on social media platforms for keep children under 16 off. - George Chan/Getty Images
Australia’s new law banning under-16s from major social platforms has already been met with widespread workarounds, with many teenagers back online within 24 hours of the rule taking effect. The measure, rolled out this week, blocks access to about 10 popular sites including TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. But parents, older friends and even AI-generated faces have helped young users slip past automated age checks, raising doubts about how effective the ban will be in practice.
How Teens Got Back Online
Fourteen-year-old cheerleader Lucy Brooks temporarily lost contact with some friends on Snapchat when the ban came into force, but most reappeared within a day. Many created new accounts using parents’ or older friends’ details or profile images; others used AI-generated photos and videos to impersonate adults. Age-verification firms say their systems can estimate account operators’ ages over time, but those tools are imperfect, and some dodged controls remain active for now.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is illuminated on December 10, 2025. - Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
Government Response And Public Reaction
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the law’s introduction with a backyard barbecue at his Sydney residence, inviting campaigners and bereaved families who had lobbied for stronger online protections. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit in green and gold alongside the campaign slogan, "Let Them Be Kids." Supporters argue the legislation protects children from online abuse and sexual exploitation; critics warn it may be ineffective and carry unintended consequences.
Voices From Teens, Creators And Entrepreneurs
Some teenagers shrugged off the change. A group of 15-year-old boys told reporters they had avoided losing access by entering older birth years when they first signed up. Leo Puglisi, 18, founder of youth news channel 6 News, said the ban would not stop young people from using social media and argued it could have prevented his own early start in digital journalism.
Before the ban, Shar was worried about losing 4,000 followers on TikTok. She's still on the platform. - Courtesy of Shar
Entrepreneur Lucas Lane, 16, who runs Glossy Boys — a nail polish business that grew via Instagram and TikTok — warned the ban could harm youth-led businesses and communities built around self-expression. He favors education, limits and protections over an outright ban.
Legal Challenges And Platform Moves
Two High Court challenges have been filed against the law, including one from Reddit, which says the rules raise significant privacy and political-expression concerns; Reddit said it is complying with the law while the case proceeds. Some alternative apps — such as Lemon8, Coverstar and smaller photo-sharing sites — were briefly considered refuges for displaced teens, though several have announced age limits aligned with the new rules.
“It’s scary and nerve-wracking for a lot of people… they don’t know what to do,” said Lucy, whose friends worry about losing photos and messages if accounts are deleted.
What Comes Next
Age-verification firms maintain their systems will flag suspicious accounts over time, so some of the newly created profiles could be removed later. For now, however, the ban’s immediate enforcement looks patchy. Many teens, creators and small business owners say they would prefer targeted measures — such as time limits, better moderation, education and parental controls — over a blanket prohibition that may be easy to bypass and costly to enforce.
Reporting contributions: Angus Watson and Antoinette Radford.
