A 15-YEAR-OLD Australian student is challenging the federal government’s planned ban on social media use for children under 16, warning the measure could inadvertently endanger young people while being widely circumvented.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that Noah Jones, who is co-plaintiff in a High Court lawsuit against Communications Minister Anika Wells and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, argues that the law will isolate teenagers and push them toward riskier online behaviour.
The law, set to take effect on December 10, would block minors from platforms including Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. The government has defended the measure as necessary to protect children from harmful content and online predators.
Jones, speaking from his home in Sydney, said: “We should be cutting off the bad things about social media. When kids do things in secret, that's when things can be really harmful.”
He described social media as a “modern-day town square” essential for connection and sharing ideas. “I have almost all the people in my year on Snapchat. It's a light way of being connected. Most people will get quite separated,” he added.
The teenager warned the ban could create a “social divide” between those who find ways to evade restrictions and those who do not. “I most likely will get around the ban. I know a lot of my mates will,” he said.
Jones and another 15-year-old co-plaintiff contend that the law infringes constitutional rights and have called for targeted measures to address cyberbullying and predatory behaviour rather than an outright ban.
The case is supported by an advocacy group linked to a Libertarian Party member of the New South Wales state parliament.
Jones emphasised that parental guidance, rather than government regulation, should dictate how children engage with social media. Communications Minister Wells and eSafety Commissioner Inman Grant were not immediately available for comment, although the minister has previously reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the law despite ongoing legal challenges.
The High Court has yet to schedule a hearing for the case, which is expected to provoke wider debate over digital rights, youth safety, and governmental oversight of online platforms in Australia. - December 2, 2025
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