// Adds dimensions UUID, Author and Topic into GA4
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
30.5 C
Singapore
type here...
Lemon8 logo
Photo: Facebook/Rain Thompson
InternationalTechnology
Less than 1 min.Read

Australia teens turn to Lemon8 as under-16 social media ban kicks in

Mary Alavanza
By Mary Alavanza

AUSTRALIA: Australia’s teens have turned to Lemon8 after the country’s social media ban for under-16s took effect on Wednesday.

Affected social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.

According to Bloomberg, when the social media ban kicked in, Lemon8 topped Apple’s most-downloaded free apps on its App Store, followed by private friends-only photo sharing app Yope and TikTok’s “safest alternative” for aged nine to 16, Coverstar.

The ban requires companies like ByteDance’s TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram to block under-16s from having social media accounts, or risk fines of up to A$49.5 million (S$42.57 million).

Australia is the first democracy to introduce such a measure, aimed at addressing concerns over the potential harms of social media. /TISG

Read also: Roblox to require facial age checks and ID verification for ‘age-appropriate’ chat

- Advertisement -
Google News Follow Google News WhatsApp Join us on WhatsApp Telegram Follow us on Telegram

Hot this week

Singapore News

Singapore man says Malaysian bus company arrived late for pickup, then left him at pit stop at 4:15 am

A man named Ernz posted in an Instagram video that a Billion Stars Express not only came late but left him behind at a rest stop
Malaysia

Johor delivers heavy blows to PM

Anwar's party secured one seat in a heavily contested Johor election while his alliance lost more seats in what could become a pressure cooker for the PM of Malaysia in the coming month

Popular Categories

Singapore NewsFeatured NewsSG EconomySingapore PoliticsLifestyleCelebrityInternational
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { const trigger = document.getElementById("ads-trigger"); if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { entries.forEach(entry => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here observer.unobserve(entry.target); // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); observer.observe(trigger); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });

The Independent SG

Also Visit

Social Media

© The Independent Singapore

// //
Enable Notifications OK No thanks