Social Media Ban for Under 16s in Australia

A world-first social media ban for children under the age of 16 in Australia will come into effect today, with tech platforms large and small working on functionality that will remove existing account holders and prevent new ones from signing up.

The Australian Government passed the new law - officially titled the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 - on 28 November 2024 and it introduces a mandatory minimum age of 16 for accounts on certain social media platforms. Once it comes into effect on 10th December 2025, parents will no longer be able to give their consent to let under-16s use these platforms.

The platforms the ban will apply to are YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, Threads and Kick. Tech companies that own these platforms could face fines of up to AU$50 million if they don’t take reasonable steps to stop under-16s from having accounts. Apps like Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom and YouTube Kids are expected to not be part of the ban.

The Australian Government says the law is needed to protect the mental health and wellbeing of Australian children and teens, with risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content and online predators, outweighing the positives of social media.

Social media platforms will offer a variety of options to conclude a user's age, including estimating based on a photo or video. They may also offer the choice to use an ID but they must also offer an alternative.

The tech company that owns the platforms will be held responsible for creating systems to ensure those under 16 can’t create or keep social media accounts. This means there won’t be fines or penalties for young people and their families if they are able to subvert the rules.