April Skateboards rider Chloe Covell made headlines when she landed at the Paris Olympics as one of Australia’s youngest skateboarders.
Her tricks and style won her thousands of fans online, and her Instagram was full of clips, shoutouts, and behind-the-scenes moments from the skate scene.
But now Chloe and a whole generation of young Aussie skaters have to log off because of the new social media rules for under-16s.
According to reports, starting December 10, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Kick, and Threads will shut down accounts for anyone under 16.
That means teens who have been posting their tricks, sharing skate spots, and connecting with crews across the country suddenly have to put their accounts on hold or delete them.
Chloe’s 320,000 followers will have to wait to see her latest moves, and she won’t be the only one affected. Plenty of young skaters who have been building their own communities online are in the same position.
For the kids skating in parks from Brisbane to Melbourne, social media has been more than just posting clips.
It’s where they show off new tricks, celebrate wins at local competitions, and swap tips with other riders.
The new rules hit hard because it’s not just about losing followers; it’s about losing a space to connect with other skaters and share the culture that’s grown around the sport.
The platforms are setting up ways to save posts, photos, and videos so nothing disappears forever, but the daily scrolling, commenting, and chatting with mates will be on pause.
Some accounts can be frozen until the user turns 16, while others can be downloaded or archived so the content stays safe.
Chloe and her peers will have to figure out how to keep their crews tight without the apps they’ve been using for years.
The government says the ban is about keeping young people safe online, and companies face big fines if they don’t follow the rules.
Age checks will vary between platforms, from ID verification to using signals from account activity, and there will be ways to appeal if a teen is wrongly flagged.
Still, for now, the under-16s across Australia’s skate scene are logging off, at least for a little while.