David Braue, Editor-At-Large for Cybercrime Magazine, recently joined host Scott Schober on the Cybercrime Magazine Podcast to delve into Australia's pioneering teen social media ban. This legislation took effect on December 10, 2025, and has sparked conversations among teens and parents nationwide. The discussion covers the implications of the new rules that platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat must adhere to.
Braue, an award-winning technology journalist based in Melbourne, Australia, addressed some criticisms regarding the ban. He noted, "Critics will say the social media ban is a toothless tiger because teens are able to easily circumvent it by scanning their mum's or dad's face," in a LinkedIn post.
He further elaborated on the implications of this requirement, saying, "But just think about this for a second: now, to get onto social media, teens have to scan their mum's or dad's face. This means that the parent at least knows their child wants to get online, which opens the door for conversations about what their child is doing and how to navigate potential challenges they might face."
Braue highlighted additional benefits for parents, stating, "Those parents will also be able to know exactly which sites their kids are on, providing some assurance that their kids aren't exploring the darker corners of the Web without any oversight. Given how many parents have no idea what their kids are doing online, even that is a win for the new laws because it allows parents to actively engage in their children's online lives."
In essence, Braue suggested that what is occurring in Australia may resemble parents conducting a form of penetration testing on their children. This raises the question, could this approach be beneficial for parents elsewhere as well?
