‘You run the country, I raise my children’: Anthony Albanese’s social media ban has Australian netizens divided

Albanese says ‘families are taking back power’

After the ban was imposed, Albanese said: “Across Australia, those under 16 are starting their day a little differently — without social media. It’s a big change and we are the first country in the world to give it a crack. But it really matters.”

He said: “This is a day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and they are asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind.”

Today, we have officially banned social media accounts for under 16s. pic.twitter.com/9Ap5mZfNoq

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 9, 2025

Acknowledging that parenting in the present day is full of unprecedented challenges like algorithms and endless feeds, Albanese said these were “pressures no generation has had to deal with”. He said the social media ban has been brought in to keep children safe online.

Protecting kids. Backing parents.

Our social media ban for under-16s starts today. pic.twitter.com/4THxm0NdXV

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 9, 2025

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However, the move has Australians divided. While some backed Albanese, others said the move was too drastic and “authoritarian”. One Facebook user, Maura Ki, who said she works at a school, said: “I am not a fan of Albanese. In fact I can’t stand him, however, I see the benefits of this. Especially working in a school and seeing the ramifications of social media on the students in a very negative way to the point of children wanting to take their own lives and detrimental effects on their mental health. Let’s allow kids to be kids, to learn to fight their battles face to face and to enjoy life away from the screens. A lot of parents do the right thing but social media platforms are a beast that cannot be fully controlled or monitored regardless, unless they have no access to phones or iPads etc. let’s allow these kids to be kids.”

Another user, Christopher Wainhouse, from Melbourne said: “How about I raise my children, and you run the country. If we both do our jobs, I’ll give you a confident and capable, law abiding citizen and you make it possible for them to get a job with even a remote chance of one day owning a home.”

Many users compared the move to that in authoritarian and totalitarian regimes like those in China, Russia, and North Korea, while some said comparing an online age-safety policy to North Korea is a stretch.

An X user said the blanket ban would force children into a “more dangerous set of apps and platforms” that the government is not watching. “The right thing to do would have been to force the platforms to put in much better protections,” said YouTuber Marcus House, who posts videos on space science.

Another user Michael Arbon said: “This is not a one-off policy. It reflects the Labor’s desire to centralise power, override families, and expand the role of the state into every aspect of an individual’s life.”

What tech giants say about the social media ban

In the run-up to the deadline, companies including Meta began locking out hundreds of thousands of underage users. The shifts responsibility to tech firms, which face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars for failure in complying.

Platforms have deactivated accounts or offering young users to download their data before removal, while offering the option to freeze profiles until they turn 16. The move is being closely watched globally as other countries consider similar restrictions. Officials say the measure is meant to protect children from online risks, although tech companies and many teens argue the ban is ineffective and poorly designed.