Jim McMahon/Mapman®
Blocked?! This past December, kids and teens across Australia awoke to find themselves shut out of their favorite social media apps. But the problem wasn’t a power outage or spotty Wi-Fi.
A new law in Australia prohibits anyone younger than 16 from having accounts on several social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Government officials say their goal is to protect young people’s mental health. Studies have linked social media use with cyberbullying and increased anxiety among kids and teens. A ban is necessary, the officials argue, because the platforms use features such as algorithms and pop-up messages to keep users glued to their phones.
Millions of social media accounts were disabled within weeks of the law taking effect. Tech companies are using voice analysis and facial recognition, among other methods, to verify users’ ages.
Most Australian adults support the law. But critics say a better solution would be for social media companies to make sure their platforms are safe for everyone.
Darcey Pritchard, 15, is from Melbourne, Australia. She had already deleted her Snapchat account before the ban went into effect because she thought she was spending too much time on it. However, she disagrees with the law, which she says ought to force social media companies to keep their platforms free of harmful content instead of banning young teens.
“It shouldn’t be the user’s fault,” Darcey told The New York Times. “The social media companies really need to take a bit more responsibility.”
—Brooke Ross