{"id":2263,"date":"2025-12-10T07:48:50","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T07:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=2263"},"modified":"2025-12-10T07:48:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T07:48:50","slug":"grand-social-experiment-australias-social-media-ban-turns-heads-globally-with-mixed-results-social-media-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=2263","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Grand social experiment\u2019: Australia\u2019s social media ban turns heads globally, with mixed results | Social media ban"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The BBC blogged about it, News Corp boasted about it and the New York Times questioned its effectiveness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Australia\u2019s world-first laws stopping children accessing social media until they turn 16 turned heads globally, with mixed and nuanced results.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the UK, the BBC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/live\/cwy54q80gy9t\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">ran a live blog<\/a> canvassing the views of teenagers, exploring how success will be judged and hearing from critics who suggested the ban could \u201cisolate vulnerable teenagers and push children into unregulated corners of the internet\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/comment\/columnists\/article\/follow-australias-social-media-ban-or-scar-generations-twk6btkl9\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">the Times<\/a>, the former Conservative education minister Lord John Nash wrote that Australia was taking a \u201cbrave stand\u201d alongside Malaysia and other countries looking at similar bans. He is pushing for the UK to adopt the Australian model.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"6cc282ab-c604-4c48-8e44-deb2962532ca\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.YoutubeBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"YoutubeBlockComponent\" priority=\"critical\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;8c1844b1-f507-4a43-a965-6b24971434fe&quot;,&quot;assetId&quot;:&quot;6uMlD3yPokY&quot;,&quot;index&quot;:4,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:0,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;isMainMedia&quot;:false,&quot;expired&quot;:false,&quot;posterImage&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:195,&quot;mediaTitle&quot;:&quot;Are Australian kids breaking the law if they sneak on to social media? \u2013 video&quot;,&quot;origin&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com&quot;,&quot;stickyVideos&quot;:false,&quot;enableAds&quot;:true,&quot;iconSizeOnDesktop&quot;:&quot;large&quot;,&quot;iconSizeOnMobile&quot;:&quot;large&quot;,&quot;hidePillOnMobile&quot;:false}\"><\/p>\n<div data-chromatic=\"ignore\">\n<div data-component=\"youtube-atom\" data-atom-id=\"8c1844b1-f507-4a43-a965-6b24971434fe\" data-video-id=\"6uMlD3yPokY\" data-video-unique-id=\"6uMlD3yPokY-4\">\n<div data-testid=\"youtube-sticky-6uMlD3yPokY-4\" data-is-sticky=\"false\" class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1ykam5j\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"0\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1at911u\"><button data-testid=\"youtube-overlay-6uMlD3yPokY-4\" aria-label=\"Play video: Are Australian kids breaking the law if they sneak on to social media? \u2013 video\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-rvfwnd\"><picture itemprop=\"contentUrl\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 980px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 980px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 980px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=700&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 740px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 740px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=700&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 740px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 660px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 660px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 660px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=645&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 480px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 480px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=645&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 320px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 320px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 320px)\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Are Australian kids breaking the law if they sneak on to social media? \u2013 video\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3524ef81c94e7ce6af169a9510ab2352d67ebed6\/2_0_6480_3647\/6480.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" height=\"259\" width=\"460\" class=\"dcr-1qi2at0\"\/><\/picture><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1alawo7\"><svg width=\"36\" height=\"23\" viewbox=\"0 0 36 23\"><path d=\"M3.2 0l-3.2 3.3v16.4l3.3 3.3h18.7v-23h-18.8m30.4 1l-8.6 8v5l8.6 8h2.4v-21h-2.4\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Are Australian kids breaking the law if they sneak on to social media? \u2013 video<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/australia-europe-countries-move-curb-childrens-social-media-access-2025-12-09\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">News agency Reuters<\/a> summarised moves afoot in Britain, China, Malaysia, the US, the European Union and various European countries to implement various age-based measures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the US, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2025\/12\/09\/rahm-emanuel-says-u-s-should-follow-australias-youth-social-media-ban-00682185?utm_content=user\/politico&amp;utm_source=flipboard\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Politico ran an exclusive<\/a> with potential 2028 Democrat presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel, who is a fan of the ban. He told the outlet that \u201canything that allows us to keep focus on improving academic standards and protecting our children on a public health basis is going to be a priority\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">It was a \u201cgrand social experiment\u201d, the New York Times said before the ban came into place.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"a0d716bb-ca7d-47e9-9c20-031965951c1b\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:8,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Australia\u2019s kids are saved! The social media ban is here and all the teens are outside touching grass | First Dog on the Moon&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;a0d716bb-ca7d-47e9-9c20-031965951c1b&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;richLink&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/picture\/2025\/dec\/10\/australias-kids-are-saved-the-social-media-ban-is-here-and-all-the-teens-are-outside-touching-grass&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:0,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Once the ban took effect, it ran a piece noting that Australia\u2019s experience could be a template for other countries, or a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/12\/07\/world\/asia\/australia-social-media-ban-how-what.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">cautionary tale<\/a>\u201d. And while proponents have talked about the suicide and mental health risks of social media, the Times reported an ABC survey found three in four children polled intended to keep using it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/12\/09\/world\/asia\/australia-social-media-ban-under-16.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">separate piece<\/a>, it quoted Amnesty International questioning the effectiveness of blanket bans. \u201cA ban simply means they will continue to be exposed to the same harms but in secret, leaving them at even greater risk,\u201d the organisation said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Danish digital affairs minister, Caroline Stage Olsen, <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2025\/12\/09\/world\/video\/australia-denmark-social-media-ban-caroline-stage-olsen-intv-120912pseg1-cnni-world-fast?cid=external-feeds_iluminar_google\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">told CNN<\/a> that Denmark\u2019s aim of banning social media for children under 15 was about keeping children safer, and said there was \u201cnot that much\u201d pushback there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Al Jazeera spoke to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2025\/12\/9\/why-is-australia-banning-social-media-for-teenagers\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">a range of experts<\/a> and heard: how difficult it will be to enforce; that banning things doesn\u2019t work on its own; that the age verification methods \u201care often inaccurate\u201d or can be circumvented; that harms occur on platforms not covered by the ban; and that for many young people, social media access can be \u201cnot only beneficial but life-saving\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cResearch undertaken in Australia and other countries has shown that the impact of social media on young people is complex and varies widely,\u201d its coverage noted.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-the-local-papers-said\" class=\"dcr-12ibh7f\">What the local papers said<\/h2>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/politics\/federal\/prepare-for-intense-emotions-teens-plot-workarounds-as-social-media-ban-begins-20251209-p5nm4f.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">The Sydney Morning Herald<\/a> reported on some of the bumps the ban will meet along the way. Teens are plotting workarounds, it said, and there\u2019s a high court challenge under way. Its latest polling shows while most voters support the policy, most are also sceptical it will work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Over at the Australian Financial Review, a front-page teaser read \u201cIt\u2019s the algorithm, stupid: Under 16s ban misses mark\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"f5bc057a-85c0-43f2-8099-724cf465f122\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:17,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;A US psychologist prescribed a social media ban for kids. How did Australia become the test subject?&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;f5bc057a-85c0-43f2-8099-724cf465f122&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;richLink&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news\/2025\/dec\/07\/how-australia-became-the-testing-ground-for-a-social-media-ban-for-young-people&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:0,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Australian was relatively understated, with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theaustralian.com.au\/nation\/politics\/we-will-stand-firm-against-the-tech-giants-says-anika-wells\/news-story\/3467e481657c8c7f2f963aecc0348845\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">news piece<\/a> on both the ban and the responsible minister\u2019s travel travails, and an inset piece about how \u201cdisgruntled teenagers\u201d plan to get around the ban with makeup, their parents\u2019 IDs and hidden networks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Australia\u2019s News Corp tabloids, on the other hand, were beating their own drums. The Daily Telegraph\u2019s front page trumpeted that the \u201cworld-leading laws\u201d were the result of News Corp\u2019s Let Them Be Kids campaign as well as the \u201cbravery of the parents whose children have died as a result of social media\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The paper\u2019s editorial sounded like a Walkley award entry, tracing how its campaign persisted in the face of blowback from enormously wealthy tech companies to usher in a \u201crational new era in social media regulation\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">It was a similar vibe at the Herald Sun, promising kids a safer and brighter future thanks to the paper\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Tell that to the lobbyists at 36 Months, South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas (and his wife, Annabel West), US psychologist Jonathan Haidt, former opposition leader Peter Dutton and eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news\/2025\/dec\/07\/how-australia-became-the-testing-ground-for-a-social-media-ban-for-young-people\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">who played major roles along the way<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>#Grand #social #experiment #Australias #social #media #ban #turns #heads #globally #mixed #results #Social #media #ban<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The BBC blogged about it, News&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2264,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2263"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}