Australia's under 16 social media ban - would it work here?

If you haven't read about it in the news, my home country of Australia made the decision to ban social media accounts for under 16s, with the legislation coming into effect today. It has definitely stirred up debate down there, but watching it from Japan makes me think the idea has some merit here too.

A lot of us raising kids here talk about the same things parents talk about back home, like screen time, online safety, how quickly trends move, and how young kids seem to get swept up in digital pressure before they're really ready for it. 

Australia's rule puts the responsibility on platforms to verify ages and block underage accounts, which might seem strict, but it also highlights something I think is really important. The wellbeing of kids in the digital space matters, and adults have a big role in shaping the environment they grow up in. Seeing that conversation take shape in Australia has made me wonder how a similar approach might help families in Japan.

I think we'd all agree that Japan already faces its own challenges around youth and the internet, from gaming dependence, to bullying, to internet addiction, or the pressure to keep up with constant group messaging. It's naive to think that a hard age limit would fix everything, but it could give younger teens more space to grow before stepping fully into social media. It might encourage things like stronger offline friendships and more involvement in local activities, which I think are all healthy activities that help promote a more grounded sense of self. 

I don't know that Japan would ever follow Australia's lead in that regard, but the idea of slowing things down and letting kids enter the online world a little later feels increasingly worth discussing.

Do you think a social media ban for those under 16 would go down well here, or in your country of origin?