Australian teen challenging social media ban says internet will be less safe

A 15-year-old sues the government to overturn the decision, arguing it will isolate teens and drive riskier behaviour.


The social media ban, due to take effect on Dec 10, would block minors from platforms such as Meta’s Instagram, TikTok and Snap’s Snapchat. (Freepik pic)

SYDNEY: A teenager suing the Australian government to overturn a ban on social media for under-16s says the measure would make the internet more dangerous for young people and be widely circumvented.

Noah Jones, 15, is a co-plaintiff in a High Court case against communications minister Anika Wells and eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

The law, due to take effect on Dec 10, would block minors from platforms such as Meta’s Instagram, TikTok and Snap’s Snapchat. The government says the ban will protect children from harmful content and online predators.

Jones argues the policy will isolate teens and push them into riskier behaviour.

“We should be cutting off the bad things about social media,” he told Reuters from his home in Sydney. “When kids do things in secret, that’s when things can be really harmful.”

Jones said social media is essential for staying connected and sharing ideas, likening it to a modern-day town square.

“I have almost all the people in my year on Snapchat. It’s a light way of being connected. Most people will get quite separated,” he said.

Jones warned the ban would create a “social divide” between those who evade restrictions and those who do not. “I most likely will get around the ban. I know a lot of my mates will,” he said.

Jones said parents, not the government, should decide how children use social media.


The communications minister and eSafety commissioner were not immediately available for comment. Wells has said the government stands by the law regardless of any legal challenges.

The lawsuit, which includes another 15-year-old student, argues the ban infringes constitutional rights and should be replaced with targeted measures against cyberbullying and predatory behaviour. It is backed by an advocacy group run by a Libertarian Party member of the New South Wales state parliament.

The case has yet to be scheduled for hearing.

Link: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...ll-be-less-safe

They always do these kind of things. So far everyone pre social media era turns out ok.

i blame the parent. parent give phone then same parent blame social media.

teens will do stupid shit anyway
take away one vector is good move

the point is that all those teenagers (or kids in other countries) will be forced to de-anonymize their activity and have their online presence continously tracked and monitored after they turn 18 (or 21 or whatever age)

imagine /k , MalaysiaKini, Malaysia Today, etc etc, implement full IC and phone number right next to your name whenever you type something online

that is the goal.

in the context of Malaysia, all of the next generation of kids will be forced to be compliant online and only be allowed to say nice words about the government. Dissent is not allowed.

This post has been edited by Redhunt: Dec 2 2025, 12:40 PM

Ozzie xda lyn forum ka

All this ban does is force kids onto social media apps with worse child protection features since it only includes the most popular apps

If you want kids to completely stop using social media, you have to ban the adults too and also ban everything including Whatsapp.

A more effective solution is education but that's too much work for people that just want to score political points.

This post has been edited by ReoAyanami: Dec 2 2025, 01:04 PM

malaysia also don't dare

VPN sales will be through the roof only

Where is my 15 year old representative From Malaysia
?

Goonijg in Sunway, 67

I agree, this ban is not about protecting children, it is under the guise of the children's safety, the real motive is to slowly do censorship to everyone by slowly boiling the water.

To control the narrative by the few.

Socmed addicts.