Australia shuts down young people offline from midnight – farewell posts flood social networks
Australia shuts down young people offline from midnight – farewell posts flood social networks
Shortly before the entry into force of a law unprecedented in the world, tens of thousands of Australian young people said goodbye to their followers for the last time on Wednesday night. With the start of the ban on Dec. 10, 2025, anyone under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to use common social media platforms – a drastic step that is attracting international attention.
Last hours before the blackout: Farewell messages in all feeds
In the hours before the lockdown (Tuesday, 13:00 GMT), "goodbye" posts flooded TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and other platforms. Teenagers – accompanied by many young adults – expressed disappointment, humor and melancholy.
The 29-year-old TikTok creator Josh Partington from Melbourne, who has more than 75,000 followers, simply wrote:
"I will miss you."
"I will miss you."
Government orders blocks – platforms must block millions of users
Australia obliges ten major social media providers – including TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram – to lock out all users under the age of 16 or risk extremely high fines.
According to government figures, around 200,000 accounts have already been deactivated on TikTok alone, and another "several hundred thousand" are to follow in the next few days. In total, the law affects about one million minors.
The step is considered the first of its kind in the world. The background to this is the growing concern about cyberbullying, mental health, algorithmic addiction and the uncontrolled access of minors to problematic content.
Sadness, anger and despair – young people feel excluded
Many young Australians reacted with shock. For many who grew up with social media, the sudden obligation to go offline feels like an abrupt loss of identity.One
13-year-old wrote on Reddit:
"I'm autistic and have no friends. My 1,400-song playlist on YouTube will be deleted, and so will my Reddit account. I will be completely alone for three years."
"I'm autistic and have no friends. My 1,400-song playlist on YouTube will be deleted, and so will my Reddit account. I will be completely alone for three years."
Others said goodbye with memes, highlight videos and countdowns accompanied by Adele's "Skyfall" – including the line: "This is the end."
Still others switched to alternative platforms such as Yope, Lemon8 or Coverstar, which are currently not covered by the law.
Political backlash: Prime Minister Albanese loses thousands of followers
Many young people vented their anger against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Since Tuesday, he has already lost over 6,000 followers. Comments under his TikTok posts are becoming increasingly political:
"Wait until we're old enough to vote."
Not all young users reject
the ban
the ban
However, some young people welcome the decision. A TikTok comment that went viral sums it up:
"Honestly, the social media ban is probably the best thing for us. We're stuck in front of screens for far too long."
Background: Why Australia is taking this drastic step
Research shows:
- The number of cases of cyberbullying among young people has risen sharply in the last five years.
- Research by the eSafety Commissioner shows that algorithmic feeds increase depressive symptoms, especially in girls.
- Several investigations had documented growing radicalizing content on TikTok and YouTube for minors.
The government therefore argues that the measure is necessary to protect young people "from massive, systemic risks".
However, opposition members, digital researchers and civil rights groups accuse the government of "over-regulation" and "incapacitation". Critics warn that this could push young people into unregulated shadow platforms – a problem that is already visible in several states.
What do you think about the socthis article above under the social media ban for children and adolescents, is that right or wrong?
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Author: MF editorial team
Source: REUTERS
Image AI created!
What do you think about the socthis article above under the social media ban for children and adolescents, is that right or wrong?
Share media links and write your opinion!
Author: MF editorial team
Source: REUTERS
Image AI created!
