In the days leading up to December 10, most apps and platforms affected by the government’s new social media age restrictions have already detailed how they’ll comply. And in the days following, the office of the eSafety commissioner will be kicking the tyres to see if those measures are working and are sufficient.

Meanwhile, thousands of teens will be adjusting to a new normal. And that’s what most of the analysis and coverage of the social media ban has been concerned with.

Psychologists and welfare experts have warned of mental health impacts and the need for extra support, which is of real concern for under-16s who spend a lot of time online, especially if they used social media to connect with communities they don’t have access to otherwise.

The social media restrictions will be awkward and incomplete, but that doesn’t mean they won’t ultimately be worthwhile.Credit: Bloomberg

Many have pointed to the likelihood of technological workarounds such as virtual private networks (VPNs), which would let underage users pretend to be logging in from elsewhere in the world, potentially side-stepping the ban. It’s not impossible for social media companies to detect this, but it’s also not........

© The Sydney Morning Herald