Addicted to social media?

Addicted to social media

In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban children under 16 from using many social media websites. Companies must make sure that no one under 16 has an account. If they do not do this, they have to pay a fine of up to 49 million Australian dollars. The Australian government says this rule helps protect children from danger and social media addiction. 

Addiction is a real problem. Studies show that 11 % of children and teenagers in Europe cannot control how much they use social media. They look at their phones all the time, sleep less, and sometimes forget to do homework. In Australia, two out of three teenagers use social media for at least two hours every day. But it is not just their fault. Social media apps are designed to make people stay on their phones for many hours.   

But social media can also be good. It helps children learn, play, make things, and talk with friends. UNICEF, an organisation that protects the rights of children, says that stopping children from using social media does not help: children should be allowed to share their ideas on social media, but companies must make it safer.

What do young people think about banning social media? Noah is 15 and lives in Sydney. He says, "Social media helps me show my videos and talk to friends. I feel bad without it." Fourteen-year-old Aya from Tokyo says, "I spend too much time online and I forget about my homework. Sometimes it would help to have less time online." Many parents like the idea of a ban. Emma is the mother of 12-year-old son Nico. She says, "Not using social media would give Nico more time for school and hobbies."

So, is stopping all children from using social media the best idea? Not everyone agrees. Maria and Jamal are teachers in Berlin. Together, they organise workshops to teach children how to use social media safely. Maria says, "We can stop addiction without stopping children from using social media completely.” Jamal adds, "Parents can make rules at home, but companies can make apps less addictive."

The big question now is: should other countries introduce age limits like Australia, or are there better ways to stop addiction and keep young users safe?