Australia's recent move to restrict teen access to social platforms raises an interesting question about regulatory consistency. If substances like alcohol and tobacco are off-limits for minors due to developmental concerns, shouldn't the same logic apply to platforms that can be just as addictive?

The comparison isn't far-fetched. Research keeps piling up about how algorithmic feeds mess with young brains—dopamine loops, attention fragmentation, mental health impacts. Yet there's barely any age enforcement that actually works.

Will the US adopt something similar? Probably not anytime soon. But the Australian experiment might push other governments to at least acknowledge the elephant in the room: we regulate substances that harm developing minds, but give infinite scroll a free pass.