Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation Backs Australia's Teen App Ban But Calls For Real Support

Australia is in the spotlight as it enforces the social media ban for users under the age of 16, in reference to the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 from today, 10 December 2025.

The bill mandates that underage users be blocked from major social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, Threads, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and Reddit, or risk being penalised AUD49.5 million (£24.71 million) for failure to implement.

A report by The Guardian said social platforms are required to deactivate accounts of users under the age of 16 and prevent them from creating new ones until they reach 16. The report further states that eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has entrusted the platforms to make the necessary assessments to determine whether they will comply.

Earlier this week, Reuters reported that YouTube agreed to comply with the ban, but reiterating that the underwhelming act does not guarantee the safety of children online.

Archewell Foundation Takes a Stand

A bold action, 'but it shouldn't have come to this.'

Founded by Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Archewell Foundation released a statement on Australia's decision to enforce the Online Safety Amendment Act, calling it a bold move while denouncing its effectiveness in curbing social media's negative effects on youth.

The Archewell Foundation, known for its advocacy on online safety, shares in the post how it has witnessed how social media can spark creativity and make educational resources readily available for children, and how restricting their access to it can kill their hopes.

In the post, the Foundation further slams the government's decision to ban children from accessing social media platforms, saying they are 'calling for technology that is safe by default and design, not as a reaction to avoidable, sometimes fatal, harm.'

The post went on stating that, 'They are rightly concerned about how age restrictions will be enforced and whether it will create new opportunities for their lives to be surveilled. The companies 'unintended consequences' of a decade ago are now part of their money-making strategy, and children have become their collateral.'

'No Child Lost to Social Media'

One of the Archewell Foundation's advocacies, the Parents Network, run with the hashtag #NoChildLostToSocialMedia, urges social media platforms to refine their designs and make them safer, describing their current design 'inherently dangerous.' As such, their website offers parents' guides to different platforms, urging them to learn about hashtags, language, and even protecting their children's safety.

The Archewell Foundation's stance on the social media ban, stating that while age restrictions can help protect children from immediate dangers, they do not address the deeper design flaws of technology and social media, is a direct reflection of the Parents' Network's advocacy.

The post, ending with 'The world is watching to see if they'll finally take responsibility and make the changes the world so desperately need,' stresses the urgency to tackle safety reforms enforced by social media platforms.

Global Online Safety

As the first country to address online safety and enforce a ban for children below the age of 16, Australia is setting the standards for other nations. Will they follow suit?

The question remains: is the world ready for these new regulations that aim to reduce youth exposure to flawed social platform designs? Or will Australia ultimately amend this reform and address the concerns flooding the news?