We need to think bigger than the social media ban
Australia’s upcoming legislation banning under-16s from accessing social media is well-meaning. It reflects rising concerns from parents, policymakers, and experts about the impact of online environments on children’s mental health, intellectual development, and physical safety.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: blocking access to Instagram (or TikTok, or YouTube) won’t keep kids off the internet. It may not even keep them off social media.
Instead, the risk is that young users will simply move to platforms or corners of the web that are less moderated, less accountable, and even more dangerous.
It’s the digital equivalent of putting up a shark net around one popular beach while ignoring the others. It might protect a specific location, but it doesn’t stop swimmers from wandering into unprotected waters. And sometimes, that’s where the real dangers lurk.
Why single-platform bans aren’t enough
The analogy holds. Shark nets are useful: they’re a visible deterrent, they tangibly reduce risk, and they make it clear that safety is a shared community concern. But they work best when part of a broader system: beach patrols, public education, effective signage, surf lifesaving clubs, and swimmer awareness. In isolation, they give a false sense of security.
Likewise, banning under-16s from a handful of major platforms doesn’t solve the underlying issue: the internet is vast, decentralised, and constantly evolving. Young users can still access forums, messaging apps, overseas-based platforms, or obscure sites outside the scope of enforcement. If they’re savvy enough, they can even create their own! Often, these alternatives have little or no safety protocols and operate beyond the reach of Australian law.
What we need is a system that works across the entire internet. Not just the headliner platforms.
The risk of driving young people to darker corners of the web
History tells us that restrictions without education or infrastructure often lead to worse outcomes.
We’ve seen this with alcohol prohibition that pushes drinking into private, unregulated environments. We’ve seen it with gambling blocks that drive users to offshore betting sites. The same pattern is emerging with social media bans. Well-intentioned policies can backfire without tools to support enforcement and engagement.
And we can’t forget: kids are smart. They’re natives in these digital environments, while the policymakers haven’t even heard of some of the platforms that are in use. If we ban YouTube, they’ll move to Vimeo. If we ban Vimeo, they’ll move to an unregulated forum where everyone is anonymous and video links can hide malicious content. If we ban that forum, there are dozens more that can take its place. Under-16s know where and how to navigate through the internet in order to find these new places that host the content or features they want, and the proposed policies are just chasing behind.
So by focusing only on restricting access to certain platforms, we risk ignoring the real issue: how do we make the entire internet a safer place for children to socialise, learn, and grow?
This isn’t just a tech problem. It’s a policy challenge, a regulatory question, and an ethical imperative.
DigiChek: A shark net for the whole internet
DigiChek offers a different approach. Rather than relying on platforms to guess a user’s age or forcing everyone to upload personal documents for access, DigiChek gives each person a secure, private, and verified digital Key.
This Key is created in person but used online; no tracking, no document uploads, and no personal data shared or stored. It can confirm a user’s age without ever revealing their identity.
With DigiChek, websites and apps can verify a user’s age in real-time, regardless of the platform. The system is privacy-first, accessible to all users including those without passports or smartphones, and designed for national scalability.
In other words, DigiChek doesn’t just fence off one part of the internet. It gives every platform, browser, ISP, or app the tools to implement age controls that don’t compromise the user. It’s like installing a digital shark net that stretches across the entire coastline.
What’s needed next?
Australia has a chance to lead the world in digital safety, but only if we take a systems-level approach.
That means:
- Implementing consistent, privacy-protecting age assurance across all online environments
- Supporting platforms with reliable tools that don’t compromise user data
- Educating parents, carers, and children about digital rights and risks
- Empowering young people to access age-appropriate content without fear or shame
And crucially, it means recognising that age assurance isn’t about stopping harm, but enabling trust.
DigiChek is ready to be part of this national infrastructure. With zero tracking, no biometric data, and maximum inclusivity, it can offer a safer, simpler, and smarter way to put that shark net where it really belongs: around the entire ocean of the internet, not just a few beaches.