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Australia says world will follow social media ban as Meta starts blocking teens

reuters.com

31 points by TechTechTech 13 days ago · 20 comments

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defrost 13 days ago

In earlier today AU news:

How teens are already using their parents to get around Australia’s social media ban

  ‘I just put my mum’s face in for the facial verification and it worked,’ a 13-year-old told Crikey. 
~ https://www.crikey.com.au/2025/12/04/social-media-ban-parent...
  • rainonmoon 13 days ago

    eSafety’s line against this sort of bypass is they’re mandating that bans are arbitrated based on user activity and behaviour. So the reality is that the government is attempting to force companies to increase their surveillance of children (and every other user in the process).

greatgib 13 days ago

I sincerely hope that this kid generation will take revenge of all the old fart politicians and lobbyist that pushed for that when they get older. Like passing laws forcing everyone after 60 in retirement home with a ban of internet and tv for them...

  • washadjeffmad 13 days ago

    Somehow, continuing the trend, this will affect none of the people responsible and only harm Millennials.

Kim_Bruning 13 days ago

Some reporters are starting to compare the big social media giants to the old tobacco firms.

We know that some of the engagement algorithms in use are exploitative. We know that people are susceptible to them. It's quite typical that children get protected against exploitation before adults are.

I just hope non-harmful media don't get tarred with the same brush.

  • Garvi 13 days ago

    I'd be curious as to how one would define this "non-harmful" media? Seems like the linchpin to our future.

    • estimator7292 13 days ago

      Look at mastodon. Absolutely nobody and nothing influences what you see except you. The only things you see are posts from people you follow, in chronological order. Emphasis on people, as opposed to AI generated celebrities selling boner pills to kids or whatever the hell is going on these days

    • graemep 13 days ago

      Non-harmful means whatever the government wants it to mean.

theothertimcook 13 days ago

There are ads on Reddit for a secure age verification system that uses your bank account to prove you're over 16.

The current trend with authoritarian moves in Australia, law changes targeted young people, whether to prevent them from committing crime or to protect them from it, then broadened out to the rest of the population.

E.g intoxicated teens stabbing each other has turned into compulsory wanding and searches by police in public.

  • salawat 13 days ago

    Note: they always target the blocs who can't vote first. Easy to cram things through against the unsufferaged.

    • theothertimcook 11 days ago

      I’m just completely dumbstruck that my home state in particular QLD is spending million on social media advertising is adult crime adult time laws to the cheers or sky news addicted boomers meanwhile they’re continuing to eviscerate public education. “Look how we’re dealing with the problem we created”

add-sub-mul-div 13 days ago

The cure of removing privacy from the internet is worse than the disease.

randyrand 13 days ago

And just like that Australia made kids on social media even “cooler”.

jackvalentine 13 days ago

Putting aside any opinion on success and workability of this regulation, social media/big tech walked right in to this one.

kevin061 13 days ago

I sure hope so

random9749832 8 days ago

It needs to end one way or the other. A lot of men seem defeated these days when I go out in public and a lot of women are more interested in their followers than the men around them.

I have seen even women below the median act severely spoilt and delusional.

andsoitis 13 days ago

The kids are gonna be pissed.

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