Khaberni - Australia began today (Wednesday) to implement the first global ban that prevents children under the age of 16 from using social media, but teenagers did not wait long to challenge the new law.
A number of children and teenagers demonstrated their cleverness in circumventing the ban by posting videos on TikTok mocking the restrictions, sending sarcastic messages to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese like: "Dear Anthony, I have managed to bypass your ban!"
Despite the ban coming into effect, the Australian government confirmed that some accounts will remain active in the initial days, as disabling all accounts requires a gradual process.
The ban is part of measures to protect those under 16 from cyberbullying and online harassment and includes 10 major platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit, Threads, Kik, and Twitch. These companies are obliged to use age verification technologies to suspend ineligible accounts, with the possibility of imposing fines up to 32 million US dollars on violators.
Despite official assurances, some companies expressed concerns that the ban might make children less safe, while experts believe that technical and social challenges may allow some teenagers to circumvent the restrictions.
Meanwhile, some teenagers consider the ban a "new game" for them to showcase their digital intelligence, opening a global debate about the effectiveness of laws in dealing with a generation that has been tech-savvy from a young age.
