Australia officially implemented a groundbreaking tough measure on Wednesday (December 10), banning social media use for anyone under the age of 16. Following the ban’s enforcement, the popularity of local social media platforms exempt from the regulation has soared.

The ban requires tech giants such as ByteDance and Meta to prohibit Australian users under 16 from having social media accounts, with violations punishable by a maximum fine of 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately 42.64 million Singapore dollars). Major social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have all agreed to take measures to remove underage users.

Unable to access the apps they used daily, minor users have begun downloading platforms not covered by the ban. Lemon8, a video and photo-sharing app owned by ByteDance, has now surged to become the most downloaded free app on the Apple App Store. It is closely followed by Yope, a private photo-sharing app focusing on "friends-only visibility" and positioned as a small-scale private social circle. Another app is Coverstar, which primarily targets the minor market and bills itself as "the safest TikTok alternative for children aged 9 to 16."

Meta issued a statement questioning that Australia’s ban is forcing teenagers to shift to less regulated platforms, which may instead reduce their safety protection.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insisted that the move is to start "taking back control" from powerful tech giants. He said, "This is a world-leading measure. Australia is truly saying 'enough is enough' this time—we are giving families back control."

Teenagers Bid Farewell to Social Media; Parents Hail It as a "Godsend"

Before the ban took effect, teenagers flocked to social media platforms to bid farewell to their followers and mourn the disappearance of these platforms from their lives. Partington, a Melbourne-based content creator with over 70,000 followers on TikTok, posted to fans: "I will miss you all."

Navarro, a 10-year-old girl from Sydney, has started counting down the days until she can log into YouTube again. She said, "I will be really sad because I have to wait six years to watch it again."

However, the ban has been hailed as a "godsend" by many parents tired of their children’s smartphone addiction. Elachi, who has five children, views the social media ban as a "long-overdue line in the sand" and emphasized the need for greater caution before giving any addictive products to children.

Australia’s initiative will undoubtedly attract the attention of people worldwide concerned about the harms of social media to children. New Zealand and Malaysia are already considering similar restrictions. It is understood that American parents are also closely monitoring developments, hoping that authorities will adopt similar measures.

Australia officially implemented a groundbreaking tough measure on Wednesday (December 10), banning social media use for anyone under the age of 16. Following the ban’s enforcement, the popularity of local social media platforms exempt from the regulation has soared.

The ban requires tech giants such as ByteDance and Meta to prohibit Australian users under 16 from having social media accounts, with violations punishable by a maximum fine of 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately 42.64 million Singapore dollars). Major social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have all agreed to take measures to remove underage users.

Unable to access the apps they used daily, minor users have begun downloading platforms not covered by the ban. Lemon8, a video and photo-sharing app owned by ByteDance, has now surged to become the most downloaded free app on the Apple App Store. It is closely followed by Yope, a private photo-sharing app focusing on "friends-only visibility" and positioned as a small-scale private social circle. Another app is Coverstar, which primarily targets the minor market and bills itself as "the safest TikTok alternative for children aged 9 to 16."

Meta issued a statement questioning that Australia’s ban is forcing teenagers to shift to less regulated platforms, which may instead reduce their safety protection.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insisted that the move is to start "taking back control" from powerful tech giants. He said, "This is a world-leading measure. Australia is truly saying 'enough is enough' this time—we are giving families back control."

Teenagers Bid Farewell to Social Media; Parents Hail It as a "Godsend"

Before the ban took effect, teenagers flocked to social media platforms to bid farewell to their followers and mourn the disappearance of these platforms from their lives. Partington, a Melbourne-based content creator with over 70,000 followers on TikTok, posted to fans: "I will miss you all."

Navarro, a 10-year-old girl from Sydney, has started counting down the days until she can log into YouTube again. She said, "I will be really sad because I have to wait six years to watch it again."

However, the ban has been hailed as a "godsend" by many parents tired of their children’s smartphone addiction. Elachi, who has five children, views the social media ban as a "long-overdue line in the sand" and emphasized the need for greater caution before giving any addictive products to children.

Australia’s initiative will undoubtedly attract the attention of people worldwide concerned about the harms of social media to children. New Zealand and Malaysia are already considering similar restrictions. It is understood that American parents are also closely monitoring developments, hoping that authorities will adopt similar measures.