Australia just made it a law. Troy has thoughts — and some receipts.

The Law

Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 bans anyone under 16 from creating or holding accounts on social media platforms. Companies — not parents — are responsible for enforcement, with fines up to nearly $50 million for non-compliance.

Mom: What do you think kids should be sheltered from?

Troy: Social media. Every single app — TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat. Kids should not have access to any of those.

Mom: Australia just banned kids under 16 from those exact platforms. Good call?

Troy: The ban itself is good. I’d push the age down to 14 — 16 feels a little high — but the idea is right.

Mom: Why 14?

Troy: Younger kids aren’t emotionally developed enough to handle it.

Mom: You were cyberbullied. Do you think a law like this would have made a difference?

Troy: Yeah. Yeah, it would have.

Mom: Right now, kids can just put in a fake birthday and get on anyway. What’s the fix?

Troy: Some form of ID. Once you get your driver’s license or any official ID, you should have to verify your age to get an account. That should be the requirement across all platforms.

Mom: What about YouTube?

Troy: YouTube is different — it’s actually educational. Facebook and Twitter aren’t educational in the slightest. YouTube gets a pass.

Mom: What about the trends kids chase because of social media — the fidget spinners, the designer brands? You’d be surprised how many kids are showing up in Gucci.

Troy: That’s exactly the problem. Kids shouldn’t be judged for not having the right clothes or the right stuff. Nike, Adidas, Jordan — fine. Gucci? No. Kids shouldn’t even be in that conversation.

The Bottom Line

Troy’s position is pretty clear: the culture of trends and designer status  is unnecessary pressure kids don’t need, and social media is a real harm — especially for kids who aren’t emotionally ready for it. He’s not calling for phones to be taken away, but he does think platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter (X) should require verified age — and that 14 is a smarter cutoff than 16. YouTube gets a pass. Gucci doesn’t. Having experienced cyber bullying himself, Troy isn’t speaking from theory on this one.