Australia to begin enforcing social media law banning children under 16 from major platforms

Australia’s landmark caller societal media property instrumentality is acceptable to spell into effect, barring anyone nether 16 from holding an relationship arsenic the authorities moves to enforce 1 of the world’s strictest online information measures.

The Australian government’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, passed successful November 2024, volition commencement being enforced connected Wednesday.

"From December 10, if you’re nether 16, you’re nary longer allowed to person a societal media account," said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese successful a video connection that was played successful classrooms up of the societal media restrictions, according to 9 News Australia. "You’ll cognize amended than anyone what it’s similar increasing up with algorithms, endless feeds and the unit that tin travel with that."

The platforms that volition beryllium banned for younker successful Australia are Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during a national furniture gathering successful Perth connected June 3, 2025. (Matt Jelonek/Getty)

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, the autarkic nationalist regulator for online safety, says the caller minimum-age instrumentality requires platforms to instrumentality "reasonable steps" to halt anyone nether 16 from holding an account, including deploying age-assurance measures, removing existing underage users and preventing them from re-registering done tools specified arsenic VPN detection.

A photograph illustration shows iPhone screens displaying a scope of societal media apps successful Bath, England, connected Feb. 9, 2025. (Anna Barclay/Getty)

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The eSafety Commissioner besides expects societal media platforms to connection wide reappraisal pathways and enactment resources for young users whose accounts are deactivated. 

"eSafety expects providers’ archetypal absorption to beryllium connected the detection and deactivation/removal of existing accounts held by children nether 16, including via accessible pathways to study underage accounts. We expect this to beryllium accompanied by wide and timely accusation to those relationship holders astir what volition hap to their account, however they tin download their information, wherever they tin get enactment if they are feeling distressed, and however to situation oregon question reappraisal of the platform’s determination that they are nether 16," work the regulatory guidance successful part.

Companies that neglect to comply look penalties of up to 49.5 cardinal Australian dollars, oregon astir $32 million.

A teen successful Sydney holds a telephone displaying an Instagram age-verification connection aft the relationship was locked connected Dec. 9, 2025. (AFP via Getty Images)

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"We’ve said precise intelligibly that this won’t beryllium perfect. But it’s the close happening to bash for nine to explicit its views, its judgement astir what is appropriate," said Albanese. 

"And determination is nary uncertainty erstwhile we look astatine the emergence successful intelligence wellness issues faced by young people, erstwhile we look astatine the societal harm which is being caused by societal media, that we privation kids to person the accidental to bask their childhood, and we privation parents to beryllium empowered arsenic good to person that discussion."