Should social media be banned for under 16s? Fashion Journal readers weigh in

“I think trying to protect children by taking away social media, is like taking away their bike instead of giving them a helmet.”

In case you missed it, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has officially announced plans to ban teens under the age of 16 from social media. If passed, the new law would likely prevent them from accessing apps like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X and Snapchat – with other platforms like YouTube, Pinterest and gaming apps sitting within a grey area.

With support from the Coalition, the ban would place responsibility onto the platforms themselves to police the age limit. It’s a bit of a process, though, and likely wouldn’t come into effect for at least a year. But it raises the question: Will banning teens from social media really achieve anything?

Interested to hear how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.

We all know social media comes with its pros and cons, with many of us feeling the need to ‘detox‘ from it for our mental health. Whether you’ve been an avid social media user since high school, or whether being on the apps as a teenager caused you distress, it seems like everyone has a pretty strong opinion. Below, 15 Fashion Journal readers weigh in.

Tess, 25, she/her

I completely support the social media age ban, provided they also raise the age for youth incarceration from 13. If they’re not old enough for Instagram they’re not old enough for prison.

Being on social media hasn’t hugely impacted me, however, I didn’t have it when I was under 16, which I think is a good thing.

Emma, 30, she/her

I’m in two minds about it. I think the less teens on social media, the better. It’s probably causing more negative than positive impacts at that age and it’s hard to use in moderation. At the same time, I don’t know if banning it is necessary – social media is going nowhere and like it or not, we need to learn how to navigate it.

I didn’t get on social media (Instagram) until I was 17 to 18. Before that, there were sites like Bebo, Facebook, MSN and Messenger, but it was nothing like social media today, so it’s hard to compare. I think we took it way less seriously. I like using Instagram as a professional platform to share my work, but of course, it’s addictive and I’ve had to take conscious breaks from it when my mental health hasn’t been great.

Ankita, 31, she/her

The social media ban is a bizarre bandaid solution, which appears to be more about scoring election points than actually helping kids. It’s unclear how platforms will identify who is above the age limit, but some sources suggest that it will involve everybody undergoing some sort of age verification process. Will that involve sharing our personal details with social media platforms? Do we trust them with that data? This is all without acknowledging that kids are crafty and will find a way to access social media anyway.

It sounds completely strange but social media has provided me with a lot of freedom. I grew up in an abusive household and if I didn’t have secret social media profiles to communicate with friends, then I would’ve really struggled. As an adult, I’ve been able to earn money and make friendships because of social media.

Vicky, 30, she/her

I’m not typically a fan of the ‘nanny state’ and I’d love to think we could all live in a world where (young) people could just not go on social media, but the reality is that social media is really powerful in hacking our attention spans and biological brain responses, making it impossible to have any self-control.

Over the last 12 years of using it, it’s been both a means of complete destruction to my mental health, while also providing a wealth of amazing resources and voices that I never would have had access to otherwise.

Lachie, 40, he/him

A social media ban is ridiculous as there is very little evidence to support this idea that a ban will fix anything. If they’re worried about young people’s mental health being impacted, then why not increase the age to 25, given that’s apparently when young people’s brains stop developing.

Implementing a ban for young people under the age of 16 also takes away a very important way to connect and access information that is vital for young people experiencing social isolation or active discrimination and marginalisation. Implementing a ban could potentially exacerbate some of the mental health issues already experienced by these populations.

I’ve seen social media pass through many stages and while of course there have been issues with things like doom scrolling, as an ADHDer, it’s also given me a place to connect with others around neurodivergence as well as access mental health support.

Olivia, 26, she/her

I can understand why some people are upset, but I ultimately believe it’s a good thing. The legal onus is on social media companies, meaning young people will likely still create whatever accounts they want, but hopefully, it will incentivise those companies to create safer environments.

I had to delete most of my accounts because my relationship with social media was so toxic. I only posted when I was in desperate need of attention. I grew up very online and have zero fond memories of social media. All of my positive online experiences came from forums and solo exploration. Social media companies want us to be addicted to their products and we should be trying to protect kids from that.

Sarah, 31, she/her

As a parent, I think the social media ban is a great idea. Children are exposed to so many things they shouldn’t see online as it is.

Social media definitely became my life – it was what I checked first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. As a teenager, I would become angry if my parents turned off the modem, which they would do as a punishment. But this was before phones. Having it accessible in your pocket all the time is a lot.

Anja, 28, she/her

It’s tricky. I always believe education is the most important tool to use, but teens will be teens. I think the technology (like artificial intelligence) built into these apps is problematic, especially for young people who might not be able to fully comprehend the long and short-term consequences of their actions.

Social media is addictive, it controls my perception of reality, my time and puts my anxiety into high gear. As a 28-year-old female who’s been on social media since MySpace, MSN and Habbo Hotel, I’m far more protective of myself, my visibility and the type of content I share now because of how reckless I’ve been and the danger it can bring.

Lisa, 23, she/her

I think this new legislation coming in just as the Northern Territory has lowered the age of criminal responsibility speaks volumes about our country. Why is it that a child as young as 10 could go to jail while a 15-year-old isn’t considered mature enough to be on social media? Make it make sense.

To put it simply, social media let me know that there are other people beyond the regional town I grew up in. I actually needed to know that when I was younger. I think trying to protect children by taking away social media, is like taking away their bike instead of giving them a helmet. The threats children face online are symptomatic of social issues that precede social media.

Effie, 32, she/her

I’m not sure how I feel about it. From what I’ve seen, the teenagers in my life communicate mostly on Snapchat, so it feels harsh to ban their primary communication tool. It also seems a little futile. You don’t need an account to browse TikTok, for example, plus teenagers are savvy. If they can buy a fake ID, they can set up profiles with a fake age.

I also wonder what happens if a teenager is in an unsafe position online, say they’re bullied or send explicit photos that are later circulated. The fact they were engaging on ‘banned’ social media platforms may mean they’re less likely to seek help from an adult they trust.

Molly, 37, she/her

As a mother to two daughters, I’m very happy about the social media ban. I’m personally addicted to social media. It’s made me have terrible concentration, I compare myself to others and I lose valuable hours during the day. And this is from a well-aware 37-year-old woman!

I loved that my teen years were devoid of social media. It gave me space for my own thoughts, feelings and creativity. I could leave school at school and home could be a sanctuary (even though I had home issues and family issues). I did enjoy the connection social media brought in my 20s and I still enjoy that aspect, however, I think waiting is best.

Jessie, 20, she/they

I think it’s a much more complex issue than just banning social media altogether. If it weren’t for the recent criminal age of responsibility being lowered, I think this issue would have a lot more support in communities that understand the complexities of protecting children.

For me, social media has both ruined and livened up my life. During the 2020 lockdown, I could spend over seven hours a day on TikTok. And I hate that so much. I’ve wasted years of my childhood and teenage years on social media. I had unrestricted access to YouTube when I was 11.

Social media has helped me meet some of my closest friends to this day. I love cooking, and sharing my love of cooking has been so important to me. It helped me recognise I had been sexually assaulted through an infographic (insane, I know). It has helped me navigate my queerness, my lesbian identity, my community, my place in the world, the privilege I have, how to harvest it, and so much more. But I think the bad outweighs the good.

It has perverted my sense of self and confidence, it has made me compare myself to others, desensitised me to so much evil in the world and it has overwhelmed with me way too much information, more than I would ever need. With autocorrect and social media slang, I have felt my attention span, my critical thinking, my inner peace, and my spelling and grammar all wither away and it terrifies me.

Tara, 24, she/her

I’m all for it. Although social media is something that allows for a beautiful community, access to knowledge and creativity among many other positives, it has also caused a toxic level of comparison which has negatively affected my self-esteem. Although I can think freely for myself now, as a teenager, it’s very hard to distinguish between what’s fake and what’s real.

Lavinia, 20, she/her

I think the legislation is well-intentioned but unrealistic. There is no doubt that the internet needs to be regulated for children, but I think children will inevitably find ways around a complete ban and if the government did manage to keep kids off social media then what will happen when they suddenly turn 17 and have unlimited access? I believe that children need to build media literacy skills in a safer, regulated environment because it will be part of their adult lives regardless of the ban.

Bianca, 34, she/her

I think the social media ban will alienate a lot of young people. As a parent to a two-year-old, this is something I will have to navigate, so I’m directly concerned about the negative impacts of social media on kids today. But I don’t think banning it is the right move – that just makes it more enticing, right?

The root issue is not social media but how it’s used and consumed. I don’t know if what I’m saying is idealistic or naive, but banning doesn’t sit right with me – especially when you also have the government lowering the age of criminality. It really makes no sense that a 12-year-old could be locked up in jail, yet isn’t allowed to be on social media.

Personally, I was really lucky to grow up around a time when social media was only getting popular at the end of my high school years. It was a really fun way to connect to my friends and then when I went to university, it was one of the main ways that I made friends as someone more introverted. It also opened my eyes to a load of things that I hadn’t thought about seriously before, like feminism.

On the negative side of things, there were times when I was feeling a little bit addicted and would spend too much time online. Since I was already an adult when that was happening, I had the tools to recognise that and try and balance my time a bit more. I know that when being on social media and being online isn’t fun and is causing me anxiety and stress, I should just log off and take a break. I also know that even for adults this can be easier said than done.

Names have been changed for privacy.

For more on what the social media ban means, head here.