Australia’s social media ban for children 16 and under officially went into effect at midnight local time on Dec. 10, marking the start of a world-first attempt to keep younger teens off major platforms.
Many parents and child advocates have welcomed the move as a way to protect kids’ mental health, reduce anxiety, and boost self-esteem, even as questions remain about how effectively companies can stop underage users from getting online.
“My eldest child is 10. So I think that for parents who have children 10 and younger, they are really grateful for it because I can absolutely see the benefit of it,” drama therapist Tanya Short, a mom of three, told ABC News.
Albanese: Law meant to back up parents, not single them out
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pitched the new law as a way to put families, rather than platforms, in control. He predicted the ban would become “a source of national pride” and said it was aimed squarely at protecting and supporting Australian families.
“This law is about making it easier for you to have a conversation with your child about the risks and harms of engaging online,” Albanese said in a statement Sunday. “It’s also about helping parents push back against peer pressure. You don’t have to worry that by stopping your child using social media, you’re somehow making them the odd one out. Now, instead of trying to set a ‘family rule’, you can point to a national ban.”
Under the legislation, social media platforms must take “reasonable steps” to prevent users aged 16 and under from creating or continuing to use accounts or features with a social media component. Companies are required to deactivate or remove existing accounts belonging to under-16 users and to stop children from creating new ones or using workarounds to stay on the platforms.
The law, passed last year, is intended to “protect young Australians from pressures and risks that users can be exposed to while logged in to social media accounts,” according to the eSafety Commissioner, the government’s independent online safety regulator. It points in particular to design features that push kids to spend more time on screens and feed them content that can harm their health and well-being.
Which platforms are covered – and what’s exempt
For now, the ban applies to 10 major platforms, including Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, as well as Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube, according to the eSafety Commissioner. These services must block new under-16 sign-ups and begin deactivating existing accounts tied to children.
There are important carve-outs. Some messaging apps, online gaming services, and professional networking platforms are exempt, reflecting concerns that a sweeping ban could interfere with everyday communication, schooling, or work-related activity.
If companies fail to comply, they face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars, or nearly 33 million U.S. dollars. The penalties are aimed at compelling global tech firms to put real enforcement measures in place, rather than relying on easily falsified birth dates or simple tick-box age gates.
Tech companies warn of unintended consequences
Major social media companies have pushed back against the new rules, arguing that the Australian social media ban for under-16s could backfire and make some young people less safe.
Snapchat has been particularly outspoken, calling the measure misguided and potentially risky for children. “Disconnecting teens from their friends and family doesn’t make them safer — it may push them to less safe, less private messaging apps,” the company said in a Nov. 22 statement. It has instead urged lawmakers to consider “privacy-conscious solutions,” such as mandatory age verification at the device, operating system or app store level.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, also criticized the blanket approach. “Experts, youth groups, and many parents agree that blanket bans are not the solution — they isolate teens from online communities and information, while providing inconsistent protection across the many apps they use,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News. “There’s a better way: legislation that empowers parents to approve app downloads and verify age that allows families — not the government — to decide which apps teens can access.”
Supporters welcome protections but ask: Will it work?
Dan Donahoo, head of projects at Project Rockit, an anti-bullying organization that has previously partnered with Facebook, said the ban reflects a broader recognition that children need more support and protection online. But he questioned whether this specific model can deliver on its promise.
“Our children need support, and we want to look after them, we want to support them in this sort of emerging digital age that we’re all living in. But we’re also wondering about whether or not this is the best way to really keep them safe,” Donahoo told ABC News.
For the most part, platforms have started taking steps to comply by pulling the plug on underage accounts. But enforcement depends heavily on age-verification systems that can be imperfect or intrusive. Critics warn that tech-savvy teens may simply migrate to smaller, less regulated apps or use tools such as VPNs to get around the restrictions.
A global test case as other countries look on
The rollout of Australia’s social media ban for under-16s is being closely watched abroad as governments consider similar restrictions amid rising concern over the impact of social media on young people’s mental health.
In October, Denmark proposed its own social media ban for children under 15. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has described major platforms as “stealing our children’s childhood,” pointing to phones and apps as negative influences on kids’ mental health, reading skills, concentration and overall safety.
For now, Australia is the first country to put such a sweeping ban into practice. How effectively the law is enforced — and whether it meaningfully improves children’s wellbeing — is likely to shape the global debate over where to draw the line between digital freedom, parental authority, and state intervention in kids’ online lives.
Sources:
ABC News – “Australia’s social media ban for kids 16 and under goes into effect”
