Wikipedia founder brands Australia’s social media ban an ‘unmitigated disaster’ and an ‘embarrassment’
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has criticized Australia's proposed social media ban for minors, calling it an 'unmitigated disaster' and an 'embarrassment.' He argues the ban stems from a 'massive moral panic' and promotes dangerous surveillance norms by requiring age verification through personal data. Instead of bans, Wales advocates for education on parental controls and preserving online spaces built on community trust like Wikipedia.
- ▪Jimmy Wales criticized Australia's social media ban for under-16s, calling it an 'unmitigated disaster' and an 'embarrassment.'
- ▪He argued that online toxicity existed before social media and that humans do not need algorithms to be unkind.
- ▪Wales warned against normalizing facial age verification for children, calling it unsafe and a form of surveillance.
- ▪He emphasized Wikipedia's community-driven model, which prohibits personal attacks and promotes transparency and courtesy.
- ▪Wales believes the moral panic around teens and social media is unjustified and that governments should focus on educating adults about parental controls instead.
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Jimmy Wales in 2025. The Wikipedia founder says Australia’s teen social media ban is the result of a ‘massive moral panic’ that is ‘really unjustified’. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenJimmy Wales in 2025. The Wikipedia founder says Australia’s teen social media ban is the result of a ‘massive moral panic’ that is ‘really unjustified’. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty ImagesSocial media banWikipedia founder brands Australia’s social media ban an ‘unmitigated disaster’ and an ‘embarrassment’Jimmy Wales remembers a toxic internet even before social media and says AI is ‘not a disaster’ for the free – and freely edited - online encyclopaedia Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Josh Taylor…
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