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A social media ban for under 16s will have six uncomfortable realities that policymakers will not tell you. But they matter, because they determine whether this decision actually protects young people, or simply creates new risks in new places.

This is the polarising issue in Australia in 2025. People are either ardently in favour of restricting social media access to people under the age of sixteen, while others think it’s a terrible idea.

Both sides have convincing arguments to support their view. I don’t need to be told there is a lot of rot on social media that no one at all should see.

I’ve been winding back my social media use. I removed the Facebook app from my smartphone a couple of months ago, and have barely missed it. I’m considering doing away with Threads. It becomes more like the present Twitter/X with each passing day.

Ditto Instagram. There I’d just login to the website every now and then to see what’s happening.

But it’s also known younger Australians, particularly those marginalised in some way, are able to seek support safely and privately through social media, something they’ll lose access to. There’s no doubt the ban is going to be to the detriment of some Australians under the age of sixteen.

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