Australia is banning social media for users under the age of 16. The new legislation aims to protect vulnerable populations from harmful content. But, most free speech scholars are leery at best of these kinds of policies. Yes, there are dangerous elements of the online experience, and we need some safeguards for children against predators and the like. However, some are probably wondering why we don’t start with these massive platforms to begin with.
The BBC’s reporting on this phenomenon lists Twitter, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Snapchat, Kik, and Twitch as domains affected. While parents and children won’t be punished for running afoul of this law, the businesses in question will. (This is even before we get to questions about the efficacy of such a move. Anyone who has spent five seconds on the Internet knows that there are approximately 1 million ways to get what you’re looking for.)
