Eight weeks into Australia’s new social media minimum‑age laws, many parents are asking the same question: Is this actually working?

Under the legislation that came into effect in December, children under 16 are no longer permitted to use major social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat. The responsibility now sits with the platforms — not parents — and the penalties for non‑compliance are significant.

If you’re feeling underwhelmed, frustrated, or confused, you’re not alone. It feels like a big announcement followed by… not much at all.

Let’s take a calm, honest look at what’s happening — what’s working, what isn’t, and what families can do right now to protect children and strengthen connections.

What This Ban Was Actually About

Despite the noise, this legislation was never about cutting kids off from their friends or removing them from online platforms.

It was about removing Big Tech’s access to our children via their powerful algorithms that are designed to hijack children’s attention, emotions, and developing brains.

In court documents released last year, Meta acknowledged that around 90% of content on platforms like Instagram and Facebook is no longer shared between people who know each other. Instead, it’s strangers engaging with strangers via short‑form, algorithm‑driven video.

This means social media isn’t really social. It’s become short-form television where strangers post content and algorithms determine what your kids see. And of course, Big Tech collects a lot of data on our kids and sells that to advertisers so our children become targets of companies trying to profit from them even more.

This legislation shifts the default. For the first time, Big Tech must justify why children should be on their platforms — instead of parents having to justify why they shouldn’t.

That alone is progress.

Where We’re Seeing Wins

Despite the messy and challenging rollout, positives are emerging.

1. Fewer kids on major platforms

Meta has reported closing more than 500,000 accounts belonging to Australian children. 

This first positive has an asterisk beside it though. Some kids have simply created new accounts. Others have migrated to new platforms. Many accounts were likely dummy accounts or unused accounts. The PR people will tell you it’s a win. I’m calling it dubious. 

2. Relief — for kids and parents

Many parents are reporting something unexpected: relief.

Children are spending more time outside, feeling less anxious, and engaging more with real life. For some families, the pressure has eased — kids no longer feel like they’re missing out because everyone is stepping back together.

And… I’ve heard from a number of young people who have confirmed they also feel relieved to be off the platforms and not feel the same pressure to be always on and connected that they felt previously.

3. A cultural shift is beginning

Just as seatbelt laws took time to become normal, we’re starting to see a shift in expectations. For younger children and tweens, having unrestricted social media access is slowly becoming less normal — and that’s exactly what we want. And a lot of parents like it.

Where We’re Losing Ground

Of course, it hasn’t been smooth sailing.

Kids are migrating

Many children are leaving major platforms and moving to Discord, WhatsApp, or gaming spaces. They’re also moving to new social media platforms. That’s not automatically bad — especially when these platforms don’t rely on endless algorithmic feeds and are actually more social than the major platforms.

However, some of these spaces have less moderation, which increases risks if kids haven’t been taught why social media can be harmful.

Parents are undermining the protection

Many parents are signing children up with fake ages, helping them create new accounts, or turning a blind eye. While the intention may be to keep the peace, the cost is high.

When parents bypass protections, children learn two things:

• Their wellbeing is negotiable
• Rules don’t matter when they’re inconvenient

This Is a Parent Problem (Not a Kid Problem)

Children are wired to test limits. That’s normal.

What’s concerning is when adults help them push past boundaries that exist to protect them.

Which brings us to the most important part.

Three Things Parents Can Do Right Now

1. Have the WHY conversation

Don’t rely on “it’s the law” or “because I said so.” That approach creates resistance.

Instead, explain:

• How platforms make money
• Why algorithms push emotionally charged content
• How this affects mood, attention and self‑worth

Make it clear: this isn’t about banning friendships — it’s about protecting brains.

2. Offer real alternatives

Nature hates a vacuum. If you remove social media without replacing it, frustration will follow.

Helpful alternatives include:

• Phones that call and text but don’t enable social media
• Parental‑control phones designed for kids
• Offline or local multiplayer games
• Face‑to‑face catch‑ups and play

Connection still matters — it just doesn’t need an algorithm.

3. Model the behaviour you want to see

Children learn more from what we do than what we say.

If parents are doom‑scrolling in bed, complaining about the ban, or glued to screens, kids notice.

A play‑based childhood needs play‑based adults — curiosity, hobbies, movement, and connection that doesn’t depend on a phone.

Imperfect, Messy — and Still Worth It

The social media minimum‑age legislation isn’t perfect. Kids are finding workarounds. Courts are involved. The rollout is uneven.

But something important has changed.

The default has shifted.

Big tech now has to explain why children belong on their platforms — and families are being invited into deeper conversations about connection, wellbeing and what childhood is really for.

That’s not nothing.

If we do the work alongside the legislation — explaining, replacing, and modelling — we give our children something far better than social media access… we give them space to grow.