Expert: Social Media Bans Alone Won't Keep Children Safe

A child online protection expert working with the ITU argues that youth social media bans in France, Australia, Indonesia, the UK and the EU's proposed KIDS Act fail to address the real sources of harm: recommender algorithms, engagement-driven design and opaque moderation. Australia's eSafety Commissioner reported platforms restricted access to 4.7 million under-16 accounts, yet two months later one in five Australian teens under 16 still used TikTok and Snapchat.

• Australia restricted access to 4.7 million under-16 accounts
• Two months later 20% of under-16s still used TikTok and Snapchat
• EU KIDS Act would bar under-13s and set 15 as minimum age for accounts
• Expert urges ZKPs and W3C Verifiable Credentials over ID collection