Australian teenagers bid farewell to social media as a world-first ban takes effect, blocking users under 16 from major platforms. In the hours before the ban began at midnight on Wednesday, teens and adults shared goodbye messages on TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and other platforms. Melbourne creator Josh Partington, known for his comedy sketches on TikTok, wrote, “I’ll miss you guys,” to his 75,000 followers. The Australian government has ordered 10 major platforms—including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook—to block around one million users under the age of 16 or face heavy fines. TikTok alone has already deactivated 200,000 accounts, with “hundreds of thousands” more to follow. Young Australians, who grew up using social media, expressed sadness, disbelief, and humor over losing access to their favorite apps. Many posted edits of favorite memes or urged followers to join alternative platforms such as Yope, Lemon8, and Coverstar. On Reddit, teens shared emotional messages on subreddits like r/teenagers. One autistic 13-year-old wrote, “My playlist of 1,400+ songs on YouTube will be deleted, and Reddit too. I have zero friends… I will be completely alone for the next three years until I am 16.” The ban marks a significant shift in social media access for Australian youth, affecting millions of young users nationwide. Some stayed online until midnight on Tuesday, posting clips of clocks counting down set to Adele’s “Skyfall” and its lyrics, “this is the end.” Others took their frustration out on centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has lost 6,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram since Tuesday. “Just wait until we’re able to vote,” one person commented on Albanese’s TikTok account. Not all teenagers were against the ban. “Ngl (not going to lie), social media ban is probably for the best of us,” a TikTok user said. “All we do is sit behind a screen for hours.”
Australian teens react with dismay as social media ban begins
