Why I Won’t Comply with Australia’s Social Media Ban

From December 10, something changes. And I’m not going along with it.

By now, you’ve probably heard: Australia is banning social media for anyone under 16. TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, X – all off-limits to kids. Platforms will be required to take “reasonable steps” to remove underage users or risk fines of up to $49.5 million.

On the surface, it sounds like protection. A safeguard for children. A way to keep them safe online.

But I don’t believe that’s what this is really about.

This Isn’t About Protecting Children

If the government genuinely wanted to protect kids from online harm, they’d start with the actual harmful stuff – sites like Pornhub and other platforms that pose real risks to young people. But those aren’t mentioned. There’s no sweeping action there. No headlines. No urgency.

Instead, we’re seeing a coordinated push to control access to the platforms where people communicate, organise, create, and share ideas. This isn’t unique to Australia – it’s happening globally. And it’s not a coincidence.

What we’re watching unfold is the groundwork for something much bigger: digital IDs, cashless systems, and social credit frameworks similar to what’s already operating in China. This is about compliance, not safety. It’s about normalising the idea that you need to verify who you are to participate online. That access to information, connection, and expression should be gated by government-approved systems.

And I want no part of it.

I Will Not Comply

Let me be clear: I will not be providing ID verification to use social media.

I believe that doing so is a violation of my privacy and my rights as a human being. These platforms already have more than enough of my information. The idea that I now need to prove my identity – to a system we don’t fully understand, with rules that aren’t clearly defined – is a line I won’t cross.

If that means I lose access to the pages I’ve built, the community I’ve connected with, and the years of work I’ve put into sharing my music and thoughts – so be it. I’d rather lose my accounts than hand over my autonomy.

Now, there’s talk of age-detection algorithms, behavioural tracking, and “layered approaches” that might not require direct ID uploads. If that’s how it plays out and I remain on social media, it’s not because I’ve complied – it’s because I’ve found a way around it. I’ll do what I’ve always done: think for myself, act on my principles, and refuse to be part of a system I fundamentally oppose.

And I want no part of it.

What This Means for You (and Me)

If you’ve enjoyed my music over the years – streamed it, shared it, commented on it – thank you. Truly. That connection has meant everything to me. But if this ban rolls out the way it’s shaping up to, there’s a real chance I’ll disappear from social media entirely.

But I’m not disappearing altogether.

The one thing they can’t ban is my website. So here’s what I’m asking:

If you want to stay connected, subscribe to my email list.

I’ll be posting blogs, sharing new music, and continuing to speak my mind – whether my opinions are popular or not. There will be a comment section where you can interact with me and each other. It won’t be as instant as Instagram or as flashy as TikTok, but it’ll be mine. And it’ll be ours.

No algorithm deciding what you see. No terms of service written by faceless corporations. No government watching over our shoulders.

Just honest communication. Music. Ideas. Community.

A Call for Freedom, Not Compliance

I can’t tell you what to do. That’s not my style. But I will say this: if you value a free and open internet, if you believe in privacy and personal autonomy, then don’t let this slide without thinking critically about it.

This isn’t just about kids. It’s about all of us. It’s about setting a precedent that access to communication can be conditional. That your identity can be demanded at any time. That convenience and “safety” are worth trading your freedom for.

I don’t believe that. I never have. And I’m not about to start now.

So if this is the end of my social media presence, then it’s been real. But if you want to keep following along – if you want to hear what I’m creating, what I’m thinking, and where this all goes next – subscribe below. Let’s keep this going, on our own terms.

Because I won’t comply. And I hope you won’t either.

Let’s stay connected – the right way.