What Happens When Teenagers Become The Backbone Of The Creator Economy

"The creator economy has minted new stars through every generation of social media. The pattern behind them is very consistent. registered his first YouTube account at 17. is now the platform's biggest star and he started posting at 13. Charli D'Amelio also became TikTok's first creator with 100 million followers after breaking out at 15. Three generations. All teenagers when they started."

"Now governments are beginning to close that window. Australia's Ban Goes Live As Others Watch This article doesn't need to be an argument for or against social media bans for minors. The timeless child safety debate isn't going anywhere. What hasn't been discussed enough is the talent who this directly affects, and what happens to the creator pipeline when you remove the years that built it?"

"As of, Australia became the first country to put in place a ban restricting under 16s from major social media accounts including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit and Snapchat. Platforms are also facing fines up to ~$32.7 million ($49.5 million AUD) for failing to take reasonable steps to remove underage users. On top of Australia's ban coming out of nowhere, they're not alone."

Successful creators often begin in early adolescence: one top YouTuber registered at 17 and started posting at 13, and Charli D'Amelio broke out at 15. Early-teen years let creators draw inspiration, learn platforms, experiment with low-stakes content, build initial audiences and make formative mistakes that lead to professional skill. Governments are instituting age-based restrictions that remove that developmental window. Australia has enacted a ban restricting under-16s from major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit and Snapchat and imposes fines up to ~$32.7 million for platforms failing to remove underage users. Several other countries and European bodies are proposing similar measures.

Read at Forbes