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THE BAN IS HERE. NOW WHAT?

Australia banned social media for under-16s. But kids still need a way to connect with their friends. This is what parents are doing about it.

Online Safety Act 2024 Under-16 Ban Active $49.5M Platform Penalties Updated March 2026

The Legislation

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 passed the Australian Parliament in late 2024 and came into effect in December 2025. It is now illegal for social media platforms to provide accounts to children under 16 years of age.

The law puts the enforcement burden on the platforms, not parents. Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, X, Reddit, and other designated services are required to take reasonable steps to prevent minors from creating accounts. Platforms that fail to comply face penalties of up to $49.5 million.

Australia is the first Western democracy to legislate a minimum age for social media access at this scale. The intent is clear: reduce the mental health harms associated with algorithmic feeds, cyberbullying, and addictive design patterns that disproportionately affect young people.

Parents broadly support the ban. But it has created a practical gap that the legislation itself does not address.

The ban solved one problem. But it created a question every parent is now asking: if my child can't use social media to stay connected with friends, what do they use instead?

The Gap

THE BAN REMOVED SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT DIDN'T REPLACE IT.

Social media platforms had become the default communication layer for Australian children. Group chats, event planning, after-school coordination, birthday invitations, casual daily conversations with friends — all of it was happening on platforms that are now off limits for anyone under 16.

The legislation addressed the exposure risk. It did not address the communication need. Kids still need to make plans, talk to friends, check in with parents, and maintain the social connections that are fundamental to childhood development.

For many families, the instinct is to hand their child a basic mobile phone. But even the simplest feature phones come with SMS, and most now include a browser. The line between "basic phone" and "access point to everything" is thinner than most parents realise.

Taking away a smartphone does not give your kid independence. It takes it away. The question is not whether your child needs to communicate — it is which device lets them do it without the risks the ban was designed to address.

This is where the Wait Mate movement has gained significant traction. Parents across Australia are pledging to delay giving their children smartphones — but the pledge only works if there is a credible alternative for the years between "too young for a phone" and "ready for a smartphone." That gap is where this conversation starts.

READY TO TRY YAPS?

The first WiFi home phone built for Australian families.

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"The ban told us what to take away. Nobody told us what to give back."
Every parent in Australia, December 2025

Options

FOUR ALTERNATIVES TO SMARTPHONES
FOR AUSTRALIAN KIDS

The market has responded to the ban with several categories of device. Each serves a different age range, a different level of independence, and a different risk profile. Here is what exists in Australia right now.

WIFI HOME PHONES

Best for ages 5 — 10

A physical phone that connects to home WiFi and allows calls to parent-approved contacts only. No screen, no internet, no apps. The child picks up the handset and calls — that is all it does. The safest option for younger kids who need to call home, call grandparents, or talk to friends.

See how Yaps works →

DUMB PHONES

Best for ages 10 — 14

Basic mobile phones like the Nokia 3210 (2024 reissue). Calls and SMS with no app store. However, most modern feature phones do include a basic web browser, a camera, and the ability to connect to mobile data — which means they are not truly internet-free.

SMARTWATCHES

Best for ages 6 — 12

Wearable devices like Spacetalk that allow calling and GPS tracking. Useful for location monitoring, but the small screen limits conversation quality. Some models include messaging and camera features that may not align with every family's boundaries.

MANAGED SMARTPHONES

Best for ages 12+

A regular smartphone with parental control software (Bark, Qustodio, Family Link). Provides the most functionality but relies entirely on software restrictions. Determined kids can often find workarounds, and managing the controls is an ongoing responsibility for parents.

See every option compared →
WIFI

Post-Ban Logic

WHY WIFI PHONES MAKE
MORE SENSE AFTER THE BAN

The entire purpose of the social media ban is to remove children's exposure to online platforms. The legislation exists because the evidence showed that algorithmic feeds, infinite scroll, and social comparison mechanics were causing measurable harm to young people's mental health.

A dumb phone reduces that exposure. A managed smartphone attempts to filter it. But a WiFi home phone eliminates it entirely.

A WiFi home phone has no browser. No app store. No camera. No mobile data connection. No way to access social media, even through a workaround. It connects to your home WiFi for one purpose: making and receiving phone calls with people you have approved.

This is not a partial solution or a compromise. It is the most direct alignment with what the legislation was designed to achieve — keeping children connected to the people who matter, without exposing them to the platforms that the Australian Parliament determined were causing harm.

If the goal is connection without exposure, a phone with no screen and no internet is the most direct answer.

The Movement

THE WAIT MATE CONNECTION

Wait Mate is a parent-led movement that started in South Australia and has since expanded nationally. The core pledge is straightforward: parents commit to delaying giving their child a smartphone until at least high school (typically Year 7 or Year 8), on the understanding that other parents in their community are making the same commitment.

The South Australian government backed the movement with a $6.5 million commitment to support digital wellbeing programs in schools. Similar initiatives are now active in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia. Schools are incorporating Wait Mate pledges into their parent communication, and some are explicitly recommending that families coordinate a shared timeline for smartphone access within each year group.

The movement has addressed the social pressure problem — no child wants to be the only one in their class without a phone. When parents commit as a group, the pressure dissipates.

But Wait Mate has always had a practical gap: if you are delaying the smartphone, what does your child actually use in the meantime? A WiFi home phone fills that gap directly. It gives children a way to call friends and family from home, maintaining the social connections they need, without requiring the device that the pledge is designed to delay.

Wait Mate asks parents to delay smartphones. Yaps gives them something to use in the meantime.

Read the full Wait Mate guide →

Common Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

What phone can my child use after the social media ban?

Several options exist depending on your child's age and your family's needs. For younger kids (ages 5-10), WiFi home phones like Yaps offer calls to approved contacts with zero internet access. For older kids, dumb phones (Nokia 3210), smartwatches (Spacetalk), or managed smartphones with parental controls are alternatives. WiFi home phones are the safest option for younger children because they have no screen, no browser, and no way to access the internet at all.

Does the social media ban apply to phones?

The ban applies to social media platforms, not devices. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook are required to prevent under-16s from creating accounts. The legislation does not restrict which phone or device a child can own. However, many parents are reconsidering whether a smartphone — which provides access to browsers, app stores, and workarounds — is the right device for their child in the first place.

Can my child still call friends without a smartphone?

Yes. WiFi home phones like Yaps let kids call approved contacts over your home WiFi network. Parents manage the contact list through a browser-based portal. The child picks up the phone, presses a button, and calls grandma, mum, dad, or a friend — with no screen, no apps, and no internet access involved.

What is the safest phone option after the ban?

A device with no internet access is the safest option. WiFi home phones like Yaps connect to your home WiFi for calling only — there is no browser, no app store, no camera, and no way to access the internet. This aligns directly with the intent of the social media ban: keeping children connected to family and friends without exposing them to online platforms.

YAPS

THE SIMPLEST ANSWER
TO THE HARDEST QUESTION.

No screen. No SIM. No internet. Just voice calls to the people you trust. Join the founding families waitlist.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Keep Reading

RELATED GUIDES

BEST KIDS PHONE IN AUSTRALIA (2026)

Every option compared — WiFi phones, dumb phones, smartwatches, and managed smartphones ranked for Australian families.

THE WAIT MATE GUIDE

How the parent-led movement to delay smartphones is reshaping childhood in Australia, and what to use in the meantime.

WIFI PHONE VS DUMB PHONE

A direct comparison of the two most common smartphone alternatives for younger children after the social media ban.