The more governments try to restrict social media use, the more young people will find ways to get around it | Leo Puglisi
The GuardianWednesday, July 30, 2025 at 11:38:51 PM
Australia's plan to ban teens under 16 from having their own YouTube accounts is the latest move in its crackdown on social media access for young people—but experts argue it’s a futile effort. Kids are already adept at bypassing restrictions, whether through fake accounts, VPNs, or just borrowing a parent’s login. The article suggests these bans won’t actually shield teens from harmful content; instead, they’ll just push them to sneakier workarounds.
Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about YouTube—it’s part of a bigger debate over how governments try (and often fail) to control kids’ online lives. Restrictive policies might look tough on paper, but if they don’t address why teens are drawn to these platforms in the first place, they’re just spinning wheels. Parents and lawmakers might want to rethink whether heavy-handed bans are the answer, or if education and better platform moderation would work better.
— Curated via WP Now’s
