Australian teens use anonymous 'alt' accounts to bypass social media ban
Australia's age-based social media ban is being widely bypassed as teenagers create anonymous 'alt' accounts. Students in Western Australia tell ABC News the practice has fuelled cyberbullying and the rapid spread of violent assault videos in regional towns.
Australia's law banning under-16s from social media took effect six months ago. But teachers and students in the Broome region of Western Australia tell ABC News that young people simply close their real-name profiles and continue using Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat through anonymous 'alt' accounts.
Students told ABC the alt-account culture has turned class group chats into a clearing house for footage of fights and physical assaults. Local police and education officials confirm a rise in cyberbullying complaints and serious-injury incidents tied to the spread of these videos online.
The federal government is now considering tougher penalties to push platforms to harden identity verification. Other governments preparing youth social-media regulation, including in Europe and Türkiye, are watching the Australian pilot closely. The findings will shape benchmark legislation across multiple jurisdictions in the coming year.
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