Aussie content creators react to social media ban

As the under-16 social media ban inches closer, questions are being raised about the implications the ban will have on people who target their content toward younger audiences.

Ahead of the impending under-16 social media ban, nine.com.au has spoken with a number of young content creators to find out what they think about the upcoming changes.

Some describe it as a "double-edged sword". Others believe that removing under-16s from their audience will have long-lasting effects on their engagement, audience reach and, subsequently, their livelihoods.

Mackenzie McIntyre is a creator from Queensland who creates relatable-style observational content, amassing a huge audience in the process.

McIntyre has garnered over 27 million YouTube views and has over 400,000 TikTok followers. Those numbers could soon take a huge hit once the restrictions come into effect on December 10.

"I've had a lot of friends, especially who make content for high school, people in high school, pretty concerned recently because it's obviously going to have a huge impact on their engagement." Mackenzie McIntyre said.

What's your take on the upcoming ban? Let us know at joseph.sahyoun@nine.com.au.

"The freedom to create as a young person is being really stripped away," McIntyre said.

"Not just like someone who's already creating for viewers, but for people who want to create."

"When I was 15 years old, all I wanted to be was a content creator, so I think that plays a big role in it too."

Creators like Western Australia's Empire Family announced to their 1.8 million followers in October that they moved to the UK to avoid the upcoming social media ban. 

"I've got a lot of friends who have already, in preparation for the ban or just the regulations that are coming in, have moved to America or moved to Bali, or Indonesia keep that younger audience," said Josiah Young.

Josiah is a creator who has been posting relatable content skits since he was 18 and believes that creators will have to adapt to the changes.

"I will definitely have to start tailoring some of my content."

"I've even started thinking about maybe pushing up that age to kind of end of high school, early university days sort of relatability."

"It might end up being a double-edged sword where kids just end up in these really unsafe places because they are just scrambling to find somewhere that they can continue consuming the content that they've grown up with."

"I think it's almost like it hasn't really sunk in for a lot of creators that there will need to be some sort of change."

Dane Clarke is the creator of Clarkey's Rugby League Column

Clarke's daily rugby league content posted to his Instagram account has fostered an audience of nearly 150,000 followers, including a mix of people who are set to have their accounts wiped on December 10.

"It will certainly affect my engagement numbers, as the younger generation is a highly engaged portion of my followers," Clarke said.

"Whenever I meet someone under the age of 18 or looking like they're in high school, they usually tell me that they love my page and get all their news from it daily.

"I suspect plenty of them will just find an alternate method to access social media. Kids are resourceful, and I am sure they are going to find hundreds of ways to loophole this ban."

The government has placed the responsibility of enforcing the laws into the hands of the social media platforms included in the ban.

This includes removing and deactivating any accounts used by anyone under the age of 16, as well as preventing the creation of any additional accounts and preventing workarounds that may allow children to bypass the restrictions.

The platforms set to be age-restricted include: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Kick, Twitch and Reddit.

However, there are no penalties for under-16s who access age-restricted platforms, with the government stating that the purpose is to protect young Australians rather than punishing and isolating them.

Other creators have echoed this sentiment, believing that under-16s will find their way around the new legislation.

"I really don't think a lot of them will settle for just not being able to do it," McIntrye said.

"These young people are going to have to find alternative ways to watch this content, whether by using their parents' account, then that messes up all the demographics. statistics and everything."

"That can also create a dangerous environment because then they may be shown more adult content because the age range is a lot higher."

Social media influencer agencies have been preparing for months in the lead-up to the new laws.

"Under-16s often drive trends and virality, though their direct purchasing power is limited," said Head of Brand and Partnerships at Sticki and DataSauce, Rachael Webb.

"Over the last few months, our focus has been on education, helping brands understand that this legislation represents a delay in when young audiences can legally participate, rather than the disappearance of youth influence online."

"The key challenge for creators is understanding how this will affect their analytics. With Influencer marketing now highly data-driven, engagement metrics may fluctuate as under-16 accounts are removed or restricted."

Webb is urging creators to be proactive and use the new laws as a way to test new approaches and formats to see what works as the social media landscape continues to evolve rapidly.

"Test new angles of content, explore what resonates with your other audience segments, and experiment with new creative styles."

"It's rare for a creator's audience to be made up entirely of under-16s, but many will see shifts in their community makeup."

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.