Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s is sparking interest in platforms that are currently not restricted by the measure, propelling previously little-known apps like Lemon8 and Yope up the download rankings.
The ban, implemented last week, now restricts access to ten platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. Operators are required to take steps to keep children away from these platforms, or face fines of up to AU$49.5 million (US$32.8 million).
Lemon8, a video and photo sharing app developed by ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, is currently not subject to this ban. As of Tuesday, Lemon8 was the most downloaded app in the Lifestyle section of the Apple App Store.
As the ban came into effect, increased downloads of other alternatives, such as Yope, RedNote – a Chinese platform similar to Instagram – and US video-sharing app Coverstar attracted attention.
This led to increased scrutiny from the Australian government, which sent letters to 15 platforms frequently used by children – including Lemon8 and Yope – asking them to assess for themselves whether they should be covered by the restrictions.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) reported that before the ban, Lemon8 ran ads on TikTok encouraging users to migrate to the platform, highlighting the fact that it was not affected by the restrictions, as well as the ability to repost content on TikTok.
Lemon8 did a “self-assessment,” a spokesperson told “Nikkei Asia.”
Australia’s Online Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who sent the letters, said while a migration of children to unregulated apps was expected, she did not view it as “a sign of failure”.
“I think it’s going to be very difficult because children have access to so many different places that they won’t reach the same critical mass,” she added at a security conference this month hosted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Canberra said it would periodically review the list of platforms covered by the ban and add others if necessary.
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