Australian Youth To Canberra: We’re Way Too Smart For You

Policy Australian Youth To Canberra: We’re Way Too Smart For You By John Tamny,

--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Summary Australia's 2025 Social Media Minimum Age Act has largely failed, with 70% of teens still using platforms despite millions of account deactivations. The law, intended to restrict youth access, was easily circumvented by tech-savvy young people who found workarounds. Critically, legislators inadvertently worsened the situation by deactivating accounts, thereby dismantling existing parental controls developed by Apple and Google. These tech-based controls previously offered parents crucial oversight and the ability to manage screen time and content. Now, teens are using disguises to bypass both the law and parental monitoring, leaving parents with less control than before the legislation. Parliament's attempt to regulate has backfired, creating a more opaque and less controllable environment for youth social media use.

BATH, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 30: A 14-year-old boy looks at a iPhone screen on November 30, 2024 in Bath, England. The Australian Senate passed a law to ban children under 16 from having social media accounts and social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram potentially being be fined for preventing children younger than 16 from having social media accounts. (Photo by Anna Barclay/Getty Images)Getty ImagesPresident Ford once “told” New York City to “Drop Dead.” Aussie youth are presently telling Parliament “You Don’t Matter.” How else to explain the abject failure of the Social Media Minimum Age Act?