The world watched closely when the country’s social media ban took effect last December. Governments from the UK to parts of Europe were reportedly weighing similar moves, hoping Australia’s experiment would give them a template. Instead, the numbers coming out of the country’s own regulator paint a much messier picture than the headline promise ever suggested.

What the Data Actually Shows

The evaluation reports submitted by Julie Inman Grant (eSafety Commissioner) show a clear picture of the after effects of the law. There were almost little to no change in Social Media usage, over half of the surveyed kids were still logging in after the law was implemented. More than 8 out 10 Australian kids were still using Social Media, even three months after restriction kicked in.

Account ownership did fall more noticeably, dropping from roughly half of surveyed children to around four in ten. But owning fewer accounts isn’t the same as staying off the apps. More than half of children reported never being asked to prove their age at all, and a chunk of those who were checked simply told the platform they were older than they actually were.

This is where Australia’s approach runs into a design problem more than an enforcement one. The legislation never actually required social media companies to lock kids out entirely — it asked them to take “reasonable steps,” while explicitly banning platforms from relying solely on ID checks. Companies had to offer softer, less accurate verification methods as an alternative. In simple words, the failure was expected because the law written poorly from the start.

Who’s Really Being Held Accountable?

Frustration has understandably landed on the big platforms. Investigations are now underway into five services, including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, over concerns they haven’t done enough to keep underage users out. The government has responded by moving to double the maximum penalties social media companies can face and expand the regulator’s power to demand information from them.

There’s plenty of reason to distrust these social media companies on youth safety. Court findings in the United States have described platforms like Meta as a public nuisance contributing to psychological harm among young users, and internal research reportedly buried by the company pointed to real damage from its products on teen mental health. Few would argue these firms have earned the benefit of the doubt.

But that’s precisely what makes the social media ban’s structure so puzzling. Having accused these companies of behaving like predators, the government then handed them significant latitude over how enforcement would actually work, without demanding the strictest verification tools available. It’s a bit like asking the shark to help design the net meant to keep it out.

The Regulator Saw This Coming

The Australian Human Rights Commission flagged many problem related to this ban. Back in November 2024 when the law passed, AHRC stated that workarounds such bans are found almost immediately. Hence they will blunt the effects of this law in totality.

Youth advocacy groups predicted that restricted users would simply migrate elsewhere. Academics cautioned that kids would find quieter, more private ways to keep using these platforms rather than stop altogether.

Perhaps most notably, one of the more prescient warnings came from the eSafety Commissioner’s own office, which submitted at the time that age restrictions were already proving easy to sidestep in practice, and that bans alone wouldn’t teach young people safer online habits. That’s the same regulator now tasked with making the policy work.

Is It Too Early to Judge?

Supporters of the policy have a fair point: eight months is a short window for a world-first social media ban to prove itself. Child safety advocates giving evidence to a recent parliamentary inquiry argued it could take three to five years before the ban’s real effects become clear. The eSafety Commissioner has also noted a rise in messaging and gaming activity among young users, exclusions carved out of the original law that may be quietly absorbing some of the time kids would otherwise spend on banned platforms.

Concern for teenagers’ wellbeing online is exactly why this policy earned bipartisan-adjacent public support across Australia in the first place. But that same concern is also reason enough to ask hard questions about a policy that, eight months in, has yet to show the results it promised.

The post Eight Months In, Australia’s Social Media Ban Still Isn’t Keeping Kids Offline appeared first on Unmute Australia.

The story began when Parminder Singh, who had run third on One Nation’s upper house ticket in WA at the 2025 election, was revealed to have made a string of homophobic remarks in a video shared on social media. Singh suggested that gay individuals were suffering from mental illness, and he said that animals were smarter than man due to their lack of gayness.

The comment didn’t come out of nowhere. It arrived in the middle of a genuine mess for One Nation, one that started with a failed WA candidate and ended with the party’s newest recruit fumbling his way into one of the more memorable political grabs of the year.

One nation’s reaction was swift, Singh’s profile of the candidate was taken down from the party’s website within half an hour of reporters reaching out to Pauline Hanson’s office. Though the reaction was quick but many would say it is not enough. Though One Nation has scrubbed the webpage and Singh has failed in election as well, doesn’t necessarily mean that he is completely out of the picture. If another MP is disqualified or resigns he may still be able to the vacancy.

Barnaby Joyce’s Unexpected Response

Enter Barnaby Joyce, who fronted ABC’s Afternoon Briefing the same day the story broke and delivered the line that’s since taken on a life of its own. Asked about Singh’s comments, Joyce didn’t just distance himself, he went further, declaring the party had “quite a large proportion of gay people” and insisting, somewhat reluctantly, that One Nation might be “one of the gayest parties in Australia.”

His answer was like a curveball when the presenter Patricia Karvels asked him what he meant by “Singh obviously hasn’t been around farms”. Joyce confirmed that he was referring the fact about gay animals. He laughed it off when Patricia candidly asked him, that if he was trying to come out to her on live television. He was given a nickname of “Brokeback Barnaby”, shortly after the interview by coalition colleagues in a nod to 2005 film Brokeback Mountain.

Pauline Hanson’s Complicated History on the Issue

Pauline Hanson later chimed in, slamming Singh’s remarks and saying that they did not represent her views. However, as soon as the news was released, critics took to social media to remind people that the Hanson connection with LGBTQ matters was never easy. Back in 1996, she said in an interview that personally, she did not like the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which was trying to put on “something no natural.” She did agree that a person’s sexuality was a matter for them alone.

Recently when asked about those old comments, Hanson did not come back on that. But she still doesn’t like the festival, based on her personal opinion and not party policy, and admits it welcomes tourism dollars into the country.

A Party Pulling in Two Directions

What makes this story more interesting than a single bad sound bite out of WA is what it reveals about where One Nation actually sits on gay rights nationally, which turns out to be nowhere consistent at all. In South Australia, Cory Bernardi, a former Liberal senator who now leads the state branch, has stood by remarks he made years ago in the federal Senate linking same-sex marriage to polygamy and bestiality, saying recently he’s “not fussed” if people find those comments offensive.

Yet in that very same SA election, the party elected an openly gay MP, Jason Virgo, who broke down in tears in parliament describing his 11-year relationship with his boyfriend, a Muslim migrant from Indonesia. Virgo spoke warmly about the immigrant friendships that

Why the Politics Have Actually Shifted

For all the theatre, Joyce may be onto something real. Marriage equality has been law in Australia for more than eight years now, and the predicted catastrophes never materialized. The debate over same-sex marriage feels almost quaint compared to today’s flashpoints around gender and trans rights, which have become the new front line of the culture wars.

That doesn’t mean homophobia has vanished from Australian politics, but openly attacking gay and lesbian voters now carries a political cost that simply didn’t exist when Hanson first entered parliament decades ago. There’s no single unified “gay vote,” any more than there’s a single straight one. But next year’s census results will give political strategists something they’ve never really had: a clearer national picture of where LGBTQI Australians actually live, electorate by electorate.

The post Inside One Nation’s Awkward WA Week: A Sacked Candidate, a Viral Sound bite and a Party at War With Itself appeared first on Unmute Australia.

The US state Department is keeping a close watch on security developments as the situation unfolds and is engaging with regional allies. Meanwhile, there are humanitarian issues that continue to be at the top of the agenda in Palestine, with civilians still suffering the effects of long-term conflict. Some countries have reiterated demands for dialogue and a permanent political solution, such as Egypt.

Donald Trump Iran Tensions Draw Saudi Diplomatic Response

One of the best diplomatic statements has been made by the Gulf. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is said to have personally called on U.S. President Donald Trump to refrain from further attacks on Iran if he does not want to face counterattacks throughout the region.

Saudi Crown Prince is thought to have emphasized the importance of diplomacy as energy markets and regional stability continue to be challenged. The Gulf countries are also worried that if the conflict were to resume in any open manner, it may spread beyond Iran and Israel to neighbouring countries and international shipping routes.

Donald Trump Iran Crisis Raises Regional Security Concerns

The security threat has now gone beyond Israel and Iran, with reports of attacks on military installations in Kuwait and threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The incidents have sparked concerns about one of the world’s most heavily trafficked energy corridors.

The governments of Bahrain and Kuwait have stepped up security measures and are paying close attention to developments in the region. If shipping is interrupted for a long period, it could cause huge economic losses, both for the international trade and the world’s oil supplies.

The US has affirmed that it will “work with regional partners to ensure freedom of navigation is protected” and is still consulting with regional partners. The US state Department has also urged citizens in the hit areas to be vigilant as the diplomatic process continues.

Israel raids Gaza in response to Hamas pledge to disarm

A significant breakthrough occurred when Hamas declared willingness to pursue a disarmament plan as part of a proposal that was backed by the international community. Yet Israel launched military operations, pointing to concerns over security which has not been resolved until any agreement is fully verified.

The draft plan, it is said, calls for gradual dismantling, restructuring of international monitoring and oversight, and changes in governance, while Israeli authorities have insisted that the military action will continue until it reaches a point where there will be definite assurances of security.

Some of the fighting has been heavy in Northern Gaza, where Israeli operations are ongoing and hostage recovery and the destruction of militant infrastructure are underway. The prospects for any long-term Ceasefire are unclear, with continuing negotiations held in private.

Negotiations continue, diplomatic pressure is mounting

Multiple area governments are trying to stop the conflict spreading into other areas. Egypt has been holding talks with international mediators for a return to dialogue between the parties; the Gulf nations have urged resuming diplomatic efforts.

While recent reports indicate diplomatic efforts continue against Iran, U.S. president Donald Trump has been adamant that military pressure is still an option. Negotiations in the region are expected to defuse the current situation and prevent a further escalation of the conflict.

In the interim, Israel and Hamas are under increasing international pressure to achieve a sustainable Ceasefire that meets security needs and gets humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Outlook remains uncertain

The next few weeks could decide the fate of the region between diplomacy and further confrontation. Military readiness is high, with the governments across the Middle East all calling for restraint to prevent a wider regional conflict.

Immediate cessation of violence and better access for humanitarian aid are top priorities for millions of civilians in Gaza. The outcome of the negotiations will rely on the US, local and regional governments and stakeholders’ willingness to go beyond military actions and reach a lasting political solution.

The post Threats of additional strikes on Iran from Donald Trump amid Israel strikes at Gaza appeared first on Unmute Australia.

Their campaign message argues that if Democrats regain control of Congress, the country will have to face colossal changes in politics and economy of the country. These changes are not going to work in the favor of the people of the country but only in the favor of the Democrats. Republican has said time and to choose between traditional American values over radical socialist agendas.

Max Lippel who is a spokesperson from Republican National Committee has urged people to choose “common sense over communism”. Many other politicians have their own way of saying the same thing. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said that American families face a greater threat from progressive Democrats than from any other political group. Stephen Miller has also said that democratic socialist will destroy the American way of life.

Democratic Socialists are expanding their influence

The influence of Democratic Socialist of America is growing by day by day. This is because Generation Z Americans think socialism is more favorable for American economy than capitalism.

One of the most recognizable figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have secured victories in primary Democratic races. On the other hand congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been able to do the same. The winnings of these candidates among some others have cemented the ideology of socialism in the young minds of Gen-Z of America.

According to the official sources, their current membership is running at 120,000, which was only around 6500 in the year 2012. This is because DSA members have been pushing progressive policies and reshaping left wing of the party in many ways.

Polling by the Cato Institute suggests that Generation Z Americans view socialism more favorably than capitalism, highlighting a generational shift in political attitudes.

Democratic socialism and communism are not the same

Main idea that has been pushed by DSA is that they are not bringing back the good old communism in its original shape and form.

They say Democratic Socialism is different from the standard communism. While it is true that both of these ideologies wants to give greater economic equality, stronger protections for workers DSA wants to do things differently.

They want to achieve policies like universal healthcare, affordable housing, voting rights reforms and stronger labor unions, all by correcting democratic institutions not by abolishing private ownership. They do not want a classless society but with society with fundamentally different political system.

Despite these differences, Republicans have increasingly grouped democratic socialism and communism together in campaign messaging, presenting progressive policies as part of a broader ideological threat.

Echoes of America’s Red Scare

Historian Clay Risen says today’s political messaging have same characterization as earlier anti communist campaigns. He says many of the current accusations are to discredit political opponents and portray that majority of the reform movements are un-American

The Two Red Scares

1.After Russian revolution the labor movements were increasing drastically in the United States. This was the first red scare of the America. Although majority of the demands of activists was for workers rights, they were labeled as radicals. The American government feared that this socialist ideology would spread across the continent.

2.After World war II, tensions between United States and Soviet Unioin were nowhere near to be finished. During cold war the Second Red Scare came and stayed for quite some time. Many left wing American become targets of suspicion and persecution. This was because of widespread roumers of Soviet Espionage happening in America at that time.

All of this suspicion was well placed, and this was proved by Senator John McCarthy. His investigations for spies led to the arrest of many people in different suits of American institutions and government. There were numerous left wing Americans working as military personnel, government officials and journalists, who were working as a Soviet Spies. But this is also true that thousands of people also lost their jobs, against which allegations were made but no evidence was found.

This McCarthyism was also not a favourable period for LGBTQ Americans. People in th entertainment industry has to face blackmailing and persecution due to their sexual orientations. This effect was later known as Lavender Scare.

Roy Cohn, who later became Donald Trump’s mentor and lawyer, served as legal counsel during McCarthy’s hearings, creating a historical link that commentators continue to highlight today.

The post Trump Revives Red Scare Rhetoric as Democratic Socialists Gain Ground Ahead of US Midterm Elections appeared first on Unmute Australia.