Teen star Chloe Covell backs under-16 social media ban despite being forced to deactivate Instagram account

All that has changed with the 15-year-old Olympian forced to press pause on her social media account and her 400,000 followers due to Australia’s social media ban.

Covell doesn’t turn 16 – the age when the ban is lifted – until February 9 next year.

Ironically, Covell will be allowed back on Instagram and Tik Tok prior to the Street League Skateboarding World Championship Tour on home soil in Sydney at Ken Rosewall Arena on February 14-15.

“100 per cent I know the reason behind it and it’s definitely reasonable,’’ Covell said from Tokyo, where she’s currently competing.

“I’ll just have to deactivate my account until I turn 16.

“Being able to go on (social media) and see what other people are doing in their sport is really good, but mainly just to promote my own sport and what I’m doing is what I do, but unfortunately I’ll have to stop that for a little bit.

“There’s always girls coming up to me and saying I follow you on Insta, which is really nice.

“I’m super happy that I’ll be able to turn it on just in time for the SLS competition in Sydney.’’

Covell’s father Luke said the ban would dent her daughter’s showcasing of her skills and partnership with sponsors.

But he understood the justification of the ban for teenagers under the age of 16.

“It’s disappointing, particularly when I believe she’s a very good role model for kids,’’ Luke said.

“We’ve been advised to deactivate it, and just reactivate it when she’s 16.

“I understand it all, I’m definitely one of those dads who hates seeing my kids absorbed by social media.

“And if it prevents one person from harming themselves because of bullying, it’s one life that has been saved.

“She uses social media for a good reason and is trying to get herself out to the world.

“It’s definitely important to sponsors and they help her out enormously and as part of signing her she wears their brands to promote them.

“It’s only two months and we can all move on after that.’’

Moving on is exactly what Covell is good at.

After finishing eighth with two fractured fingers at the 2024 Paris Games, the Ballina-based skater is on a mission to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, but not before a home event in Sydney next year.

“The experience of Paris was great,’’ Covell said.

“Being there and seeing all the famous Olympians walking around is super inspiring.

“Being able to represent my country and the sport that I love was very cool.

“The journey starts at the SLS in Sydney in February and I want to keep training hard and practising so I can come back better for the next one in LA.’’

“Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that due to the Australian government social media laws about to kick in, I have no choice but to deactivate my Instagram account in the next 24 hours until I turn 16 in February 2026,” Covell posted on her Instagram story.

“Failure to do so, I risk losing you all that have followed and supported me from the beginning. See you all soon.”

Covell is unlikely to be the only Australian Olympian set to be impacted by the ban, with gold medallist Arisa Trew also only 15 years old.

Trew has over 190,000 followers on her Instagram account, and doesn’t turn 16 until next May.