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Why Australia's under-16 social media ban is failing to stop kids online | 9 News Australia
Posted
June 5, 2026
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3:38Now PlayingAustralia’s world-first under-16 social media ban is facing fierce scrutiny following a series of startling admissions from the very regulator tasked with enforcing the law. In this compelling report from Parliament House in Canberra, Federal Politics Reporter Amalee Saunders and the Channel 9 news team uncover a growing crisis surrounding the controversial policy's enforcement.
In an extensive interview, Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, made the candid admission that she was "not really keen" on the policy from its inception. Labeling the legislation a "very blunt force approach" that was drafted far too quickly, the eSafety chief revealed a critical flaw: the regulator simply hasn't been granted the comprehensive powers necessary to adequately police the law. Her shocking comparison likened the under-16 age verification laws to trying to "fence the ocean."
The regulatory gaps are further highlighted by damning data showing that nearly seven months after the law was passed, approximately 70% of Australian children are still successfully accessing their social media accounts. Independent MP Sophie Scamps weighed in on the unfolding debate, noting that despite social media companies claiming to have blocked millions of accounts, tech-savvy kids are easily bypassing age gates through clever workarounds—even resorting to drawing beards on their faces to fool artificial intelligence age-estimation scanners.
With zero fines issued to tech giants so far, news presenters Lizzie Perl and Michael Atkinson debate whether this legislation has become a game of regulatory whackamole that the government is fundamentally losing. This comprehensive look raises an important global questionCan governments ever truly regulate Big Tech, or is the ultimate onus shifting back onto parents? Watch the full discussion and share your thoughts in the comments below. | *Subscribe and 🔔
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