Few people are better placed to comment on the government’s plans to restrict social media access for under 16s than 17 year old Leo Puglisi, the founder, MD and chief anchor of 6 News Australia.

6 News has 35,000 YouTube and 53,000 TikTok followers and is an independent media outlet, run by and for young people. According to Puglisi, it would have been “impossible” to create 6 News if the proposed ban had been in place.

Puglisi was interviewed by Public Interest Journalism Initiative (PIJI) about the ban which has been passed by parliament with bipartisan support and comes into effect in December. He thinks the ban does not account for nuances, will be ineffective, and will have negative consequences.

Read the PIJI report here