The more governments try to restrict social media use, the more young people will find ways to get around it | Leo Puglisi

Australia’s vow to ban teens from accessing YouTube through their own account isn’t going to stop harmful content in the slightest

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t’s not entirely surprising the Australian government is now including YouTube accounts in its under-16s social media ban – but the decision to stop a 15-year-old from subscribing to their favourite channels only adds to an endless list of problems with the policy.

This ban already had a number of broad issues, including the possibility of every Australian being required to hand over personal identification in order to use social media websites. We’ve already seen the UK’s Online Safety Act making global headlines over the past week, where it is proving to be a nightmare for enforcement.

Let’s be clear: the harmful content the federal government keeps referencing isn’t going anywhere. This content (excluding videos already restricted to those over 18) can still be viewed by anyone in a logged-out state or by teenagers using the account of their parents. Once you turn 16, there is nothing stopping you from accessing the content, and it could just as easily lead to a negative impact.