Teenagers in Australia are openly defying the country’s new social media ban for under-16s, mocking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on banned platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. Some bypassed age-verification technology by frowning at the camera or using family ID cards.
Noah Jones, 15, told The Telegraph he quickly regained access using his brother’s ID, while others shared online tutorials for fooling verification systems. “The more the government tries to stop young people doing something, the more they’re going to want to do it,” said 15-year-old Fatima Ali.
Parents like Renee Jones argue open discussions about online safety are more effective than outright bans.
The government’s world-first law, which fines platforms £25m for allowing underage accounts, affects 1.4 million children and is being watched globally. Experts warn age-verification tech is inconsistent and may push teens toward less regulated, potentially dangerous platforms. Noah called the ban “lazy,” criticizing the government for targeting children instead of online predators.
Meta and Reddit have raised legal concerns, while Communications Minister Anika Wells said the government is confident it would prevail in court. Albanese acknowledged the system “is not perfect” but argued it could save lives.