Cash for fake IDs and gaming facial recognition technology: How WA students are beating the social media ban

WA teens found ways to beat the new social media ban just hours after it began, with some successfully bypassing facial recognition technology and others paying older friends or family members to gain access to restricted apps. The world-first ban was the topic of conversation at high schools and in homes around the country. While some teenagers were upset about losing access to apps such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, others were unconcerned because their peers were all in the same boat, therefore removing the common teen dilemma of “fear of missing out” (FOMO). As of midday on Wednesday, 15-year-old Klaudia Youlton still had access to all three apps. “A lot of my friends have been removed so it could happen at any time, but I don’t mind when it does,” she said. “I feel like it’s going to be great, because people can now spend more time together face to face rather than constantly being on their phone,” she said. Klaudia removed TikTok and Snapchat from her phone a couple of months ago, only installing them again on Tuesday to see how the ban would unfold. “I stay away from Snapchat because I feel like when you start scrolling, you get addicted and then hours just go by,” she said. “It’s thanks to my family as well, they prioritise spending time as a family and bonding together, so I really limit myself and my use as I know I’ll get distracted.” Klaudia, who attends Sacred Heart College in Sorrento, said she would mostly miss Instagram as she used it to communicate with family and friends overseas. “I feel like the ban is needed for people who don’t have the willpower to put their phone away. But I won’t miss the scrolling.” Fourteen-year-old Spencer Bouwman, who is in Year 8, received a mobile phone when he turned 14 recently but he doesn’t use social media. “I feel like when I’m at home I should be with my family, and when I’m at school I should be with my friends, so I don’t feel like it’s a necessity,” he said. But he doesn’t agree with the ban, thinking it should be up to parents to enforce strict rules with their children. During the first hours of the ban, Spencer became aware of numerous ways teens were getting around the restrictions. They included some students charging $20 to help fellow teens gain access to restricted apps. “Some kids are living with (the ban), some are finding other ways, some are making side cash by charging for fake IDs or to get older friends to take the facial scan,” he said. Year 8 student Stella Zempilas, aged 14, believes the ban is an “amazing idea” but is sceptical if it will work. Two of her younger friends passed the age verification process by lying about their age and using facial scanning, which wrongly identified them as being older than they were. “I think it’s time to stop everything bad that’s happening online. The ban is an amazing idea, but I don’t feel like it’s going to work 100 per cent and some students will find their way around it,” she said. “There’s lots of people who are using parents’ faces and friends’ faces, my friends themselves are actually qualifying and passing the verification with their own face. “Then there’s VPNs, and fake IDs. Everyone is finding ways, and helping out each other, it builds community at least but it isn’t really working.” Emily Perkins, who is in Year 7, doesn’t yet have a phone and while she was slightly disappointed she would miss out on social media, she felt she would be grateful for the social media ban in the long run. Year 7 Sorrento student James Baudia, 12, also doesn’t use social media but said he was in the minority. “I don’t really feel like I need social media apps to connect with my friends, so I think it’s a good thing I didn’t get a phone very young,” he said. As the ban rolled out students at Sacred Heart heard from Levitate Learning founder David Castelanelli, who presents life skill presentations for teenagers across Perth. He said platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok were not just entertainment, they were a major part of their lives. But he knew of some teens who were spending more than 60 hours a week online. “When used well, it can offer connection, learning and creativity. But without boundaries, it often becomes a trap — one that disconnects young people from the real world around them,” he said. Mr Castelanelli offered practical tips for families, including moving addictive apps to a new folder called “time wasters,” turning off unimportant notifications and setting time restrictions on phones. Parents who spoke to The West Australian offered a mix response to the new policy, with some fearing it would create isolation for teens who used social media primarily for messaging friends and others welcoming it as a positive start. Some said they too would delete social media apps in solidarity with their children.