Governments may need limited power to restrict minors’ social media use to protect their mental health and safety. However, these restrictions should be carefully designed to avoid government overreach and unnecessary limits on freedom of expression.

Governments may be justified in banning under-16s from social media to reduce exposure to online harms. However, the policy must balance protection with young people’s access to information and address privacy and enforcement concerns.

I agree with this view because banning under-16s from social media can help protect them from harmful and inappropriate content. It may also reduce exposure to online risks during an important stage of development.

Does Australia’s under-16 social media ban meaningfully protect young people, or does it create new problems by pushing teens toward unregulated platforms and AI tools that are harder to control?