Australia’s teen “social media” ban

Last year Australia’s teen “social media” ban came into force, garnering world headlines. Here was a middl(e/ing) power with a population smaller than California standing up to the established American tech giants and saying enough. Or at least, that’s the story its proponents like to tell. It’s had such an impact, countries like the UK are openly referring to it as precedent for their own laws. Despite it being among the largest and most consequential pieces of Australian technology legislation in recent memory, I (mostly) haven’t felt the need to discuss it here. This wasn’t down to a lack of understanding or concern; I’ve had thoughts and reservations since the legislation was first debated in 2024. No, I saw it as so technically flawed that any other considerations seemed moot. To flog an old cliché, why debate the arrangement of Titanic’s deckchairs after her compartments have flooded? What’s the point? But I was watching a recent Technology Connections video about photovoltaics…