FM Quick Bite: Yasmin London on the Australian Social Media Ban for Under 16s

December 10, 2025 was a big day Downunder. Australia became the first country to ban social media for under-16s. As an expert in social media, online safety, and work to protect kids (and adults online), Yasmin London has an inside look at what this means and gives us the context we need to understand and navigate the change. It’s bold, it’s controversial, and it signals that we’re willing to go first. But going first doesn’t mean we’ve solved it. It means we’ve stepped into the complexity with our eyes open. The law pushes platforms to verify ages, remove under-16 accounts by December 2025, and finally take responsibility for designing safer systems. That’s progress. But it isn’t the full answer. Yes, the ban reduces exposure to bullying, harmful content, addictive features, and the mental health impacts that come with them. But it also risks isolating teens who rely on digital spaces, and it could push young people towards corners of the internet with even less oversight. And the deeper problem remains untouched. This moment matters because it forces a bigger national conversation. If we’re willing to be first, we must also be willing to go further. To redesign digital spaces with intention. To set standards that protect young people without shutting them out. And, to build systems that balance safety, connection, autonomy, and reality. The real test isn’t the ban. It’s what we, as a country, choose to build next.