Australia has started a new law that stops children under 16 from having social media accounts. The law aims to protect young people from online risks. But for many teens in Melbourne, aged 14 to 15, this rule will not change their social media use much. Some, like Darcey Pritchard, 15, quit Snapchat by choice. Others, like Luca Hagop, 15, spent over 34 hours on Instagram in one week. These teenagers are digital natives. Many already use tricks like VPNs to bypass age limits or use family members' details to create accounts. Amelie Tomlinson, 14, still uses Snapchat and exchanges phone numbers with friends to stay connected. Jasmine Bentley, 15, is not allowed on social media but dreams of being a content creator. The government hopes the law will help parents protect children and encourage kids to spend time on other activities like sports or baking. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells urge support for parents. Social media companies must block kids under 16 but do not face fines if children break the law. Darcey’s parents set strict phone rules for her, but she feels social media is too deep a part of life to fully quit. Darcey says companies should take more responsibility for harmful content instead of blaming users. Luca finds Instagram fun but sometimes tries to outsmart its algorithm. His father allows phone freedom, trusting his children to handle problems online. Amelie writes letters to persuade her parents to let her use TikTok. She and friends keep multiple accounts and expect to bypass restrictions. Jasmine, though not on social media, films TikTok videos with friends and says there is creative freedom. Experts note social media’s strong grip on young minds, with shorter attention spans and more screen time. While the law aims to protect youth, many teens and parents feel it’s a challenge to enforce. The reality, as some teens say, is that social media is how they connect and communicate every day.