One month until the social media ban and tech giants still can’t answer these questions

December 10 is D-Day for the anxious generation, when those who have never had to queue for the family landline may have no choice but to start a single file down the hallway. We’re joking, of course. The eSafety Commissioner is not banning smartphones as a whole for under-16s, and Meta’s Messenger and WhatsApp are not on the list of age-restricted platforms (controversially, neither is Discord, Twitch, or Roblox). What will life look like for under-16s waking up on December 10? Social media providers subject to the eSafety Commissioner’s new minimum age requirement have not been forthcoming with logistical information. Credit: Nathan Perri What we do know is that Google’s YouTube, Meta’s Facebook, Instagram and Threads, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) are subject to it. But one month out from the ban taking effect, we don’t know much else. Cloak-and-dagger is not an uncommon modus operandi for social media providers, and, although eSafety has emphasised the need for transparency, this is no different. What will life actually look like for under-16s when they wake up on December 10? How will age verification actually work? Platforms are expected to take “reasonable steps” to prevent those under 16 in
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