Johanna Weaver from the Tech Policy Design Institute joins Byte Into It to unpack Australia’s under-16 social media ban and what its early rollout reveals. She describes the first 16 hours as less chaotic than expected, but notes widespread confusion around which platforms are included, how penalties apply, and what enforcement will actually look like.

Johanna frames the ban as a positive first step; though stresses how the real work begins now, in preparing young people for the change and watching closely for those who may be negatively impacted.

She also discusses Tech Mirror, the Tech Policy Design Institute’s five-part podcast series Australia vs Social Media, which breaks down the harms the legislation aims to address, how it became an election issue, and what families, schools, and young people can do to prepare.