Teenagers “will find ways around” Australia’s ban on them using social media, a tech expert has warned. 

Earlier this week, Australia’s Senate approved legislation that will see children under the age of 16 banned from using social media. 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he hoped the ban would give parents “peace of mind” and allow children to enjoy their childhood. 

On Moncreiff, For Tech's Sake podcast host Elaine Burke predicted the ban will  be difficult to implement. 

“This is a very real social space for teenagers,” she said. 

“To say that they cannot use that - even though for many of them their use will be quite positive in many ways - you’ll actually make it so that it’s completely underground for them. 

“The desire will still be there, they will find ways around it and they will not be able to tell you if something bad does happen to them on there because they’ll know they shouldn’t be able to use it in the first place.”  

TODAY: We're introducing our bill to make 16 years the minimum age for social media.

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 20, 2024

Some have compared the ban on the restrictions on children smoking, vaping or drinking alcohol. 

However, Ms Burke believes this ban will be much simpler to evade as children will only have to get around it once. 

“If I log into an app, I usually save that log in and I just have to log in once,” she said. 

“So, if I can log in once, verify it once and then I use it through whatever device I’m logged into constantly.  

“So, if I can get around it once and save that verification - then I’ve got around it.”

How?

The Australian Government has yet to announce how the ban will be enforced and a consultation with tech companies is due to begin in the coming weeks.

“That will inform the effectiveness of current age assurance technologies and advise about what will be the best steps going forward for better age gauging technologies,” Ms Burke said. 

“That survey hasn’t even started and the results won’t be out until next year. 

“While the ban has been passed, they do have 12 months before it will be fully enforced. 

“To institute a ban without those measures being explicit in it, means that all they’ve said is platforms have to take ‘reasonable steps’ to ensure users under 16 are not on there.” 

In 2021, 89% of people in Ireland communicated on social media platforms. 

Main image shows children on their phones. Picture by: Tetra Images / Alamy Stock Photo