Australia has officially enacted a new law that prohibits children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts, making it the first country in the world to implement such sweeping regulations.
The law, part of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, came into force on December 10, 2025 after being passed by the Australian Parliament and marking a major shift in how governments approach digital safety for young people.
This legislation requires social media companies to take reasonable steps to ensure that Australians under 16 years old cannot hold or create accounts on their services, otherwise face hefty fines.
Background and Legislative Process
The idea behind the law took shape through the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, which was introduced to the federal Parliament and subsequently passed with strong bipartisan support.
The amendment modifies the existing Online Safety Act 2021 to establish a minimum age for social media access, defining “age-restricted social media platforms” as those that enable social interaction and user-generated content.
Parliament completed its readings of the bill in late 2024, and upon assent, gave platforms until the end of 2025 to prepare for full implementation.
The legislation places the responsibility squarely on social media companies rather than on children or their parents.
Rather than punishing minors themselves, the law obliges platforms to implement age assurance methods such as AI tools, facial analysis, or other age-estimation systems to block under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts.
If companies fail to take “reasonable steps” to enforce the age restrictions, they can be subjected to civil penalties of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars.
How the Law Works in Practice
When the law took effect on December 10, 2025, social media companies had to start deactivating existing accounts held by Australians under 16 and stop new ones from being created.
A wide range of major platforms are covered, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Threads, and Kick.
The eSafety Commissioner, who is tasked with overseeing compliance, may monitor how platforms implement age-assurance processes and require regular compliance reporting.
Under this framework, under-16s are still able to view publicly available content that doesn’t require logging in, but they cannot engage through accounts logged into their own profiles.
Messaging apps, educational tools, and certain other services that do not fall under the age-restricted definition remain accessible to young people.
Importantly, the law does not criminalize under-16s for having social media accounts; any penalties are aimed solely at the platforms themselves.
Rationale
The Australian government’s primary motivation in enacting the ban was to protect children from what officials and many supporters view as the harmful effects of social media.
Research and advocacy groups have highlighted concerns such as excessive screen time, exposure to graphic or manipulative content, impacts on sleep and concentration, cyberbullying, and the influence of algorithms that prioritize engagement over wellbeing.
The law is intended to give young people more time to develop social, emotional, and digital skills before fully participating on social media platforms.
Challenges and Public Reaction
Despite the law’s intentions, its rollout has not been without some controversy and practical hurdles.
Some under-16s have reportedly been able to pass age verification tests, and many have expressed sadness, frustration, and disbelief at losing access to communities and friendships they built online.
Critics argue that the law is difficult to enforce perfectly and may push young people toward less regulated or riskier online spaces.
Others have raised concerns about privacy, the effectiveness of age estimation technologies, and whether the policy oversteps by restricting access rather than focusing on education and safety tools.
At the same time, advocates argue that the law sets a global precedent and stimulates international conversations about youth digital safety.
Countries including Denmark, Norway, and Malaysia are exploring or considering similar restrictions, influenced at least in part by Australia’s pioneering move.
