Australia Implements Historic Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

Fri Nov 21 2025 10:50:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Starting December 10, Australia's groundbreaking legislation will prevent children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, aiming to protect youth from online risks. The government mandates social media companies to enforce this significant policy.

Australia will enforce a worldwide first policy banning children under 16 from using social media, effective December 10. Companies like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok must ensure that minors cannot create or maintain accounts. This initiative aims to mitigate the health risks and online harassment young users face on these platforms. Parents and children will not be penalized, but social media companies face hefty fines for non-compliance.

From 10 December, social media companies will be required to take 'reasonable steps' to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts on their platforms and that existing accounts are deactivated or removed.

The government says the ban—a world-first policy popular with many parents—aims to reduce the 'pressures and risks' children face on social media. This initiative is designed to combat harmful content and behaviors that minors encounter.

Recent studies indicate that 96% of children aged 10-15 use social media, with alarming statistics revealing that seven out of ten have been exposed to harmful material ranging from misogyny to content promoting eating disorders and suicide. Additionally, one in seven children reported experiencing grooming behavior.

The Australian government has already specified ten major platforms affected by this ban, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Reddit. Pressure mounts to include online gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord, as these too have faced scrutiny regarding youth safety.

The enforcement of this ban will primarily fall on social media companies, which face fines of up to $49.5 million for significant violations. They will be expected to implement various age assurance technologies, although specific methods remain unspecified. Possibilities include government IDs, facial recognition, and online behavior assessment to estimate user age.

While parents and children aren't penalized for violating the ban, critics question the effectiveness and potential pitfalls of this approach. Concerns regarding the reliability of age verification methods and their potential impact on user privacy and data security have been raised.

Social media companies have expressed apprehension regarding the new regulations, claiming they could lead to children seeking out unsafe alternatives online. Initial reactions from platforms like Meta suggest they would be implementing measures but still contest the classification as social media companies.

This historic ban showcases Australia's commitment to safeguarding its youth in the digital age, with global implications as other nations observe its implementation and the potential outcomes of such a drastic legislative move.