Australia is settling into age-restricted social media. Canada is mulling whether to join in

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Michael Wipfli, a vocal advocate of Australia's new social media ban for youth under 16, says he understands the frustration some tweens and younger teens have felt since it came into effect — but he is not losing sleep over the hate mail or criticism, including from his kids' classmates.

"If people want to vent like that, then so be it," said Wipfli, a radio broadcaster known to Australians as Wippa, speaking from his home in Sydney.

"There's kids between the ages of 13 and 16 now that are screaming because they can't be on it.... The behaviour change will take time."

The ban has not been perfect. Some kids found ways around age verification, he says, but Wipfli wants the country to stay the course.

"There's a place for social media; it's just not in the vulnerable minds of kids under the age of 16," he said.

Nearly four months into Australia's landmark ban, Wipfli and other supportive parents say it is a meaningful step. But as more countries consider introducing a social media age minimum, critics continue to question whether bans are the right solution.

Along with angry messages, Wipfli said he has also heard from teachers who report improved concentration in class. Some parents have told him they are filling downtime at home by tossing a ball in the yard or playing a silly game, rather than scrolling.

"I certainly didn't expect this to be a clean cut, easy ride," Wipfli said. He described the age minimum as part of a broader "treatment plan of well-being."

"The Australian government's talking about a digital duty of care. That's what I would like to see as the long-term vision."

Elsewhere in Sydney, Kait Gotham said the ban has been "a non-event" in her household, with her middle son, Asher, skirting age verification by wrinkling his brow during facial scans.

Her eldest son, Ilias, who turned 16 in January, said he had "no trouble at all" chatting with friends on Snapchat or sending videos through Instagram during the month he technically fell under the ban.

Gotham said she was already monitoring her children's screen time — she and her husband set a daily 30-minute limit for cellphone internet use, for example — and the family often talks about memes or content they encounter. She is open about her own tendency to "doomscroll" and encourages her kids to connect with friends in person.

As a result, she questions whether relying on a ban is the most effective way to reduce online harms.