Australia is preparing to deactivate more than 1 million social media accounts held by users under age 16 in what officials say is a landmark effort to protect young people from online harm. The law, which takes effect Wednesday, has drawn global attention as nations debate how to safeguard children in an increasingly digitalized society.
According to NBC News, social media companies must now take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16s from opening accounts and must ensure that existing accounts belonging to children are removed. Major platforms including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X, Snapchat and Reddit have announced they will comply.
Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells defended the measure as a decisive step for child safety. She told the National Press Club that with a single law, the government aims to prevent children from being drawn into what she called “purgatory by predatory algorithms described by the man who created the feature as ‘behavioral cocaine,’” according to NBC News.
Supporters argue that the ban will help restore in-person social relationships and empower families. A poll previously found that 77% of Australians support the measure. One mother, Jen Hummelshoj, said she believes “the apps want kids to be focused on their phone and not their friends,” according to NBC News.
Yet the law has also generated deep controversy, including among young people themselves. Two 15-year-olds have launched a legal challenge before Australia’s High Court, asserting that the ban restricts political communication and cuts off vital sources of information. One of them, Noah Jones, questioned whether society is prepared for the consequences. “Do you want 15-year-old boys to have no clue about consent? Do you want teenagers who don’t know about the dangers of vaping? Both topics I’ve learned about on social media,” he said, according to NBC News.
Many teens argue that education—not removal—is the path to digital maturity. Fourteen-year-old Chloe Song said, “Young people are going to find another way around it… Strict parents create, like, sneaky kids,” adding that her generation needs “better digital literacy programs” so they can learn to navigate online spaces safely, NBC News reported.
Still, data commissioned by the Australian government revealed troubling trends. According to NBC News, 96% of children ages 10 to 15 use social media, and seven out of 10 have encountered harmful or disturbing content, including misogyny, violence, and posts encouraging self-harm. One in seven reported experiencing grooming behavior, and more than half had suffered cyberbullying.
Some families say these statistics mirror their lived experience. One father told lawmakers he saw rapid and unhealthy changes in his daughter’s behavior when she received her first phone at age 10, and the family ultimately removed it. His daughter Aalia, now 16, told legislators that strong boundaries have “not made my life smaller,” according to NBC News.
Social media companies, however, warn that the ban may drive teens to more dangerous corners of the internet. Snap said in a statement that “disconnecting teens from their friends and family doesn’t make them safer — it may push them to less safe, less private messaging apps,” according to NBC News.
For Catholic families following the debate, the tension touches on enduring questions about the formation of young hearts and minds. The Church has long affirmed the value of technology when used responsibly, while consistently warning against media that harms the dignity of the person or obscures truth, beauty and authentic relationships. Australia’s new law highlights how rapidly parents, educators and lawmakers are being forced to respond to tools that shape identity, morality, and community—often before children are ready.
As Catholic communities around the world watch this policy unfold, Australia’s move raises pressing questions about how societies can uphold the common good, protect the vulnerable, and foster environments where young people grow in wisdom, virtue, and genuine connection—both on and offline.
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