Australia Bans Social Media for Kids Under 16
Australia is taking a step that the rest of the world is still arguing about. The big question: Should children be allowed on social media?
Australia’s answer is a firm no.
A law passed last year finally kicks in on December 10, and once it does, no child under 16 in Australia will be allowed to have a social media account. This is the first and only blanket ban of its kind anywhere in the world.
That means:
- Children under 16 cannot create new accounts.
- Existing accounts will be shut down.
- Sign-ups will be blocked at the very first step.
- Platforms must ensure that no under-16 user slips through.
The ban applies to all the major platforms — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit, Threads, Twitch, Kick and more.
Apps like WhatsApp and Pinterest have been spared because the government says they don’t operate like traditional social networks — no public feeds, no algorithmic content pushed to huge audiences. So children can still access them.
Why is Australia doing this?
The numbers are deeply worrying.
- 96% of Australian kids aged 10–15 use social media.
- 7 in 10 have seen harmful content.
- More than half have faced cyberbullying.
- Many have come across self-harm posts, eating-disorder content, and violent videos.
To the government, this is no longer a tech problem — it is a child-safety and mental-health crisis. So they decided to remove children from these online spaces altogether.
And here’s the crucial part
The responsibility to enforce this ban rests entirely on the tech companies — not on parents, not on families.
Fail to comply, and platforms could face fines of up to $32 million (USD).
How will platforms verify age?
They can no longer rely on self-declared birthdates or a parent’s approval. They must use age-assurance technology, which may include:
- Facial age estimation
- Video selfies
- Government ID checks
- AI systems that guess age based on user behaviour
Experts warn these tools aren’t perfect — some underage users will still slip through, and some legitimate users may get blocked. Tech companies also argue the system is hard to implement, could create privacy risks, and yes, will cost them business. Some even considered legal action.
But in Australia, they must comply.
Meta has already begun identifying underage users and from December 4, plans to start removing them. Other platforms are preparing similar steps. And the entire world is watching.
Do bans like this actually work?
That remains to be seen.
But the debate is global.
- In the US, several states tried imposing strict rules — most were struck down in court.
- The UK has tough online-safety laws, with heavy fines and even potential jail time for tech executives who fail to protect minors.
- Across Europe, kids can use social platforms only with parental permission.
But no country has gone as far as Australia, and experts are split.
Some say children desperately need protection.
Others argue bans are easy to dodge and might push teens toward even more dangerous corners of the internet.
Still, Australia has taken the leap. Its results may shape digital-safety laws around the world.
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