No Likes Till 16? Australia’s Social Media Ban Poses a Big Question for India
What Happened
Australia introduced a landmark law banning social media access for children under 16 on December 2025, requiring platforms to verify users' ages and block underage accounts. Months after results are mixed. A survey by the Molly Rose Foundation found that 61% of Australian children aged 12-15 who previously had social media accounts still retained access, while 70% said it was easy to bypass restrictions. However, about half reported spending less time online after the ban. India is actively debating similar restrictions. With one of the world's largest youth populations and widespread smartphone use, enforcing age verification at scale could be difficult.
Key Takeaways
Australia's under-16 social media ban is showing mixed results, but it's already shaping India's debate on how to protect children online.