STORY: As Australia’s world-first social media ban for young people came into effect on Wednesday (December 10), some teenagers in Sydney doubted its impact.

Unlike some of their peers, 14-year-olds residents Claire Ni and Stella Pieterse still have access to their TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat accounts – for now. Some 200,000 accounts have already been deactivated on TikTok alone, the government said, with more to be blocked in coming days.

However, Ni is not worried about what will happen when her accounts are deactivated.

“It’s just kind of pointless,” she said. “We’re just going to create new ways to get on these platforms, so what’s the point.”

In a video message, Albanese urged children to "start a new sport, new instrument, or read that book that has been sitting there for some time on your shelf," ahead of Australia's summer school break starting later this month.

Pieterse said that her peers have already started looking at other platforms, such as BeReal or Lemon8.

“Maybe it (the ban) will make people go outside more, but not really,” Pieterse said.

Several countries from Denmark to New Zealand to Malaysia have signalled they may study or emulate Australia's model, making the country a test case for how far governments can push age-gating without stifling speech or innovation.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM AUSTRALIAN TEENAGERS / TEENAGERS ON PHONES

SHOWS: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (DECEMBER 10, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL STUDENT, CLAIRE NI, USING PHONE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL STUDENT, CLAIRE NI, SAYING:

“It’s just kind of pointless, we’re just going to create new ways to get on these platforms, so what’s the point.”

3. NI LOOKING AT HER PHONE

4. NI WATCHING A VIDEO POSTED BY AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, ANTHONY ALBANESE

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL STUDENT, CLAIRE NI, SAYING:

“I feel like, I feel like it’s kind of unfair because they did give us a really short notice to prepare and all of that and I feel like, it should be maybe 14 or 15 to have an exception because they can start to get a job and start to get their learners permit and stuff and I feel like that’s kind of unfair that they can’t use their socials.”

6. NI SCROLLING ON HER PHONE

7. VARIOUS OF 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN STUDENT, STELLA PIETERSE, SCROLLING ON HER PHONE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN STUDENT, STELLA PIETERSE, SAYING:

“I kind of see where they’re coming from, but also I think if you can get a job at 14, if you can take care of someone’s kid, do babysitting and stuff, I think you should be able to have social media and have the government trust you on it.”

9. PIETERSE LOOKING AT NOTIFICATION ON TIKTOK

10. TIKTOK NOTIFICATION ON PIETERSE’S PHONE TELLING HER ABOUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA BAN

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 14-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN STUDENT, STELLA PIETERSE, SAYING:

“I think they will just use their phones, just on different apps. You can still watch Netflix, you can still go on Pinterest, you can do a lot more different things on similar kind of apps but yeah, maybe it will make people go outside more but not really.”

12. VARIOUS OF PIETERSE AND NI SCROLLING ON THEIR PHONES

13. VARIOUS OF PIETERSE AND NI WATCHING CONTENT ON NI’S PHONE