Fri Dec 12 20:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Australia’s Social Media Ban for Under-16s Faces Early Resistance
Sydney, Australia (CNN) – Australia’s groundbreaking ban on social media for users under the age of 16, implemented on Wednesday, has encountered immediate challenges as teenagers readily circumvent the restrictions.
While the government celebrated the legislation with a symbolic light show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a barbecue for anti-cyberbullying advocates, evidence suggests the ban’s impact has been minimal. Teens are reportedly creating new accounts using false ages, often aided by parents or employing AI-generated images to bypass age verification systems.
“A lot of the time it was with the parents’ knowledge,” said 14-year-old Lucy Brooks, who has retained access to her Snapchat and TikTok accounts. “But people are also using AI-generated pictures of people and videos, like getting AI to make a 40-year-old person.”
The ban, targeting platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, aims to protect young people from online abuse and exploitation. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted families who had lost children to suicide related to cyberbullying to mark the occasion.
However, critics like 18-year-old news channel founder Leo Puglisi argue the ban is ineffective. “I know that it doesn’t stop young people going on social media, because my brother’s under the age of 16, and he is still on social media right now,” Puglisi said.
Entrepreneur Lucas Lane, 16, expressed concerns that the ban will negatively impact his business, Glossy Boys, which relies on social media to reach its young customer base. He advocates for education and restrictions instead of an outright ban.
Legal challenges are already mounting, with Reddit filing a lawsuit alleging privacy and political expression issues. Despite the challenges, age verification companies maintain their technology can still identify underage users, raising questions about the long-term viability of these workarounds.
Meanwhile, some teens have expressed anxiety about the potential loss of their accounts and the memories contained within. Lucy Brooks worries about her cheerleading posts, stating “It’s scary and nerve-wracking for a lot of people, like they don’t know what to do.”
While the Australian government attempts to “Let Them Be Kids,” it seems the digital natives are finding innovative ways to remain connected in the online world. The long-term efficacy of the ban remains uncertain as teenagers continue to evade the restrictions.
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