Australia Bans Social Media for Kids Under 16 in World First

Zuzana Moscakova, Chief Reporter        Loyal Daniel, Political Editor

From December 10, children under 16 will no longer be allowed on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and other major platforms. The law forces companies to verify ages or face huge fines, while critics warn that it could isolate teens and raise privacy concerns. Parents and advocates say it protects young people from cyberbullying, addictive content, and online risks, but legal challenges have already begun.

The federal government of Australia has passed a world-first law banning children under 16 from holding accounts on most major social media platforms. From 10 December 2025, these services must deactivate existing “under 16” accounts and stop new ones from being created. Platforms that fail to comply face fines of up to A$49.5 million.

Under the measure, social media companies - including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, Twitch and Threads - must take reasonable steps to ensure no one under 16 uses them. The law does not penalise children or parents but only the platforms. Age verification may involve government IDs, video selfies, or other identity checks, though companies cannot force users to submit ID just to access their service if they refuse. Some services are exempt; for example, online video games, educational platforms, and messaging tools such as school chat services are not covered.

The government says the new rules are meant to protect children from the risks associated with social media - mental health harm, cyberbullying, addictive scrolling, and exposure to harmful content. The law amends the existing Online Safety framework. Support for the policy has come from parents and child safety advocates.

According to the government, there are around 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook users in Australia aged 13 to 15, all now targeted by the ban. Some young users, especially those who use social media for small businesses, creative projects or social connections, have already warned that the law could curtail opportunities and isolate children from peer networks.

Major companies like Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, have begun notifying users they believe to be under 16 that their accounts will be deleted. Meta says affected accounts may be recovered upon turning 16. But critics argue the law may be nearly impossible to enforce in practice. Some experts warn that many teens will simply find ways around age checks through VPNs, fake IDs, or migrating to smaller, uncensored platforms.

Others raise privacy concerns, requiring young people to submit sensitive personal data, IDs or biometric scans that could expose them to risks such as identity theft or data breaches. Some youth rights advocates argue that the ban amounts to a comprehensive restriction on children’s ability to participate in public life online. The Digital Freedom Project, supported by two 15-year-olds as petitioners, has launched a challenge in the High Court of Australia, claiming the law infringes their implied constitutional right to communicate about politics and society.

Advocates see this as a landmark step in child protection, comparable to age limits on alcohol or smoking. They say children under 16 are no longer deemed mature enough to safely manage the complexities, pressures and privacy risks of social media. But opponents warn of unintended consequences - social isolation for teens, such as loss of youth voice, migration to more dangerous corners of the internet, and normalisation of invasive surveillance.

Meanwhile, the High Court challenge may force a reconsideration of the law’s scope. If the court finds it violates constitutional protections - even implied ones - the law could be struck down or amended. What unfolds in the coming months will likely decide whether the world-first law becomes a model for other nations or a warning in digital governance.

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