From a critical youth work standpoint, the ban risks eroding youth rights, undermining professional practice, and diverting political attention away from more systemic reforms. A rights-based, participatory approach offers a more sustainable and equitable path to enhancing young people’s safety and wellbeing in digital environments. By enforcing a blanket restriction, the policy infantilises and homogenises young people, setting a precedent for future exclusionary policies, such as raising the legal age to vote or obtain a driver’s licence. It is also likely to generate new challenges, such as the rise of less regulated or legally circumventive social media platforms.
These dilemmas are not unique to Australia. In the UK, the Online Safety Act (2023) reflects similar anxieties but pursues a different approach, placing greater responsibility on platforms rather than banning young people outright. Both cases highlight a global struggle to balance protection with participation, safety with rights. These developments raise broader questions: Have we learned nothing from past attempts at prohibition and ‘protective’ policies? Will other countries follow this world-first political measure? Should they? Panic logic would say yes; critical youth work argues otherwise.
By enforcing a blanket restriction, the policy infantilises and homogenises young people, setting a precedent for future exclusionary policies, such as raising the legal age to vote or obtain a driver’s licence.
so? blanket restrictions on young people is already a thing for alcohol, cigarettes, and other dangerous substances. This is not a slippery slope to voting rights or driving privileges.
I don’t have a problem with a social media ban on young people in theory.
We have multiple studies which show the negative impacts on young people of social media.
My issue is how such a law is implemented. It requires mass collection of user data and surveillance.
This i feel is the biggest takeaway.
Like they are already asking for you to upload your id for porn! Fucking lol. Catch me baitin’ round the world!
Do you honestly think blanket restrictions on alcohol and cigarettes etc… actually work? In my experience they don’t.
Further this is a moral panic and distraction from actually addressing the problems, it will do nothing to keep kids safe and will just backfire when they search out even less safe alternatives.