Hard Fork Australia Kicks Kids Off Social Media + Is the A.I. Water Issue Fake? + Hard Fork Wrapped
750 snips
Dec 12, 2025 
This week, blogger Andy Masley joins to discuss Australia's groundbreaking social media ban for kids under 16. He highlights the implications for child safety and whether other countries might follow suit. Masley also tackles the myth surrounding AI's water use, arguing that its footprint is often exaggerated compared to agriculture's demands. He emphasizes that electricity consumption poses a greater environmental threat. The conversation wraps with a look back at memorable moments from the year's biggest tech stories.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Australia's Nationwide Teen Social-Media Ban
- Australia banned under-16s from 10 major social apps to force real age verification and study effects.
- This creates a rare natural experiment on how removing social media affects a generation's wellbeing.
Fake Birthdates No Longer Enough
- Platforms must use real age verification, not simple birthdate dropdowns, to comply with the law.
- That forces companies to adopt tech like age-estimation video selfies or restrict features for logged-out users.
Teens' Real-World Workarounds
- Australian teens prepared by creating backup accounts with older ages and switching to apps not on the banned list.
- They also exchanged phone numbers again and increased direct person-to-person messaging.
