Will a social media ban for Australian teens work? episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 9, 2025 · 26 MIN

Will a social media ban for Australian teens work?

from The Global Story · host BBC World Service

**This episode contains discussion of bullying and suicide**Australian teens are bracing for a new law coming into effect this week that will ban social media accounts for anyone under the age of 16. The Government says the legislation is designed to protect the mental wellbeing of Australian children and teens – but it’s already proving controversial, not least among American tech companies and some politicians who see the ban as a threat to free speech. In today’s episode, we are joined by Katy Watson, the BBC’s Australia correspondent, to discuss how the country became a global test case for a bold new policy – and crucially, whether it will succeed. Producers: Cat Farnsworth, Aron Keller and Xandra EllinMix: Travis EvansSenior News Editor: China Collins Photo: A teen using her phone ahead of social media band for users under 16. Hollie Adams/Reuters

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Dec 9, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Will a social media ban for Australian teens work?

0:00 26:30

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Global Story?

This episode is 26 minutes long.

When was this The Global Story episode published?

This episode was published on December 9, 2025.

Can I download this The Global Story episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!