What Is The Future Of Social Media? Featuring John Ruddick, MLC, Sonia Elijah & Robert Cibis.

On December 10 Australia will implementing an Under 16 ban on selected social media platforms. The specified platforms will change as the Government sees fit. A ban for under-16s is "on the table" in the UK. Denmark has announced plans to ban social media for children under 15s. The EU is working on age verification tools, which could be part of a strategy to enforce age limits without a complete ban. NZ's PM has now signalled he is deeply supportive of a ban.

Will these bans keep our children safe and what does all this mean for all users of social media?

Will Governments succeed in co-opting platforms to collect an increasing amount of information on all users, which can and will be weaponised against us?

Social media companies will clearly comply with Government directions, given the fines and the threats to put them out of business.

Is it a good thing that greater regulation of platforms will demonstrate the deep connection between Government and what we used to consider private entities. We saw during Covid, just how effective they were as weapons of censorship and dissemination of state propaganda.

What is clear is that Governments will use child safety to implement the compulsory use of Government ID measures. This is low hanging fruit and must be called out and resisted.

Our guests today have great appreciation of social media platforms and we hope to gain some their insights and possible solutions to increasing Government intrusion into this space.

BACKGROUND

These are currently the platforms that will be hit by the ban:

Facebook - Instagram- Snapchat - TikTok - X (formerly Twitter) - YouTube - Threads - Reddit - Kick

Age verification for all?

No, age verification is not expected to apply to all social media users, but rather platforms must take "reasonable steps" to prevent users under 16 in Australia from having accounts. This means that not every user will be required to prove their age, but platforms must implement a system to block minors from creating or keeping accounts, such as deactivating them. The focus is on preventing underage access, not on verifying the age of all users.

• Reasonable steps: The law requires platforms to take "reasonable steps" to prevent users under 16 from having accounts, but they are not mandated to verify the age of every single user.
• Multi-layered approach: The government has provided guidance for platforms to use a "multi-layered waterfall approach," which aims to prevent underage access effectively without demanding every user verify their age.
• Exemptions: Some platforms that are not primarily for social interaction (e.g., online games, messaging apps) will be exempt from these rules.
• User privacy: This approach is intended to balance the need to protect children with the privacy of adult users, as platforms are not required to collect a large amount of personal data from all users.
• Timeline: These rules will be effective in Australia from December 10, 2025.

Mike Ryan HOST

GUESTS

The Hon. John Ruddick, MLC, NSW Member ff Parliament

John Ruddick is a member of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of New South Wales and a member of the Libertarian Party. He was an active member of the NSW Liberal Party and championed democratic reform of that party. In 2018 he published "Make the Liberal Party Great Again" but in mid-2021 he joined the Liberal Democrats after his disappointment with the Morrison and Berejiklian governments and their over-reaction to COVID-19 and the associated government debt.

Sonia Elijah, Independent Investigative Journalist

Sonia Elijah is an independent investigative journalist and former BBC researcher, renowned for her forensic-style reporting that uncovers hidden truths in public health, science, and policy. She has exposed critical issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, pharmaceutical influences, and institutional failures. Her Substack, Sonia Elijah Investigates, features groundbreaking revelations that challenge mainstream narratives.

Robert Cibis Filmmaker Book Publisher & Editor In Chief Oval.Media

Robert Cibis is a producer, director, and author of films, documentaries, and TV shows, as well as a book publisher and editor-in-chief of oval.media. Robert made it his mission to convey a new perspective on power mechanics. His goal is to make the user an active citizen by fostering a deeper understanding of the world around them through a variety of media.

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