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Logging Off: Inside Australia’s landmark social media ban

Viewpoints Radio

Published: January 18, 2026 by VPR Producer

Australia has become the first country to ban children under sixteen from social media, forcing platforms to block millions of young users overnight. Supporters say the move draws a long-overdue line around online harm while critics feel that it could push teens into riskier digital spaces with less oversight. As legal challenges mount and other countries watch closely, we cover what drove the country to implement this hardline policy on social media.

Terry Flew, professor, digital communication and culture, University of Sydney

Susan Grantham, researcher, lecturer, communication, Griffith University

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It took Cruz Condren about a week to lose his Snapchat account, and a few seconds to get it back. “It asked me to verify my age by a camera,” says the 14-year-old from the Gold Coast. “I just asked my mum to scan her face because she’s over 18. It just let me back on.” Six months after Australia became the first country to ban under 16s from social media, Cruz’s workaround – performed with his mother’s blessing – is the kind of evidence now being weighed in London, Brussels and Ottawa as governments decide whether to copy Australia’s experiment or learn from its mistakes.

Australia banned under-16s from social media. The world is split on whether to follow

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It’s six months since the young people’s social media ban was applied. So how’s it going?

It’s been six months since the ban on social media took effect in Australia for children under the age of 16. Since then, a growing number of countries have been taking steps to follow suit. Experts point to the ban’s positive effects, but what do the teenagers think?