Australia will introduce a world-first social media ban for children under 16, beginning on 10 December. Under the new rules, social media companies must take “reasonable steps” to stop under-16s from creating accounts and must remove existing accounts belonging to children.
The government says the policy is intended to reduce the risks young people face online. A government-commissioned study found that 96 percent of children aged 10 to 15 use social media, with seven in 10 exposed to harmful content such as misogynistic posts, violent videos and material promoting eating disorders or suicide. One in seven reported experiencing grooming behaviours, and more than half said they had been cyberbullied.
The ban covers platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch. Gaming platforms like Roblox and Discord are not yet included, though both have introduced age-check features in anticipation of possible regulation.
Social media companies will be responsible for enforcing the ban. Parents and children will not face penalties, but platforms could be fined up to $49.5 million for repeated breaches. Companies must use age-assurance technology, which may include ID verification, facial analysis, voice recognition or age-inference tools. They are prohibited from relying on self-declared ages or parental confirmation.
Meta has already announced it will begin closing teen accounts from 4 December. Users mistakenly removed will need to verify their age using a government ID or a video selfie. Other platforms have not released their compliance plans.
Experts warn enforcement may be inconsistent, and some technologies could wrongly block users or fail to detect underage accounts. Critics also argue the ban may push teens toward riskier online spaces or isolate those who rely on social media for community and support.
The legislation also raises concerns about data privacy, although the government insists that any data collected for age verification must be used only for that purpose and then deleted.
Several countries, including Denmark, Norway, France and Spain, are exploring similar restrictions. Policymakers around the world are expected to watch Australia’s rollout closely.
Teens are already sharing tips online about avoiding the ban, including suggestions to use VPNs or creating accounts with fake ages. The government says platforms will be expected to detect and remove such accounts.
