Australia’s Social Media Ban for under 16s

In December 2025, Australia became the first country to introduce a social media ban for users under 16 years of age. 

An amendment to the Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) set a minimum age requirement for users of specified social media platforms – currently these are Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit,  Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube. Most standalone gaming and messaging apps, as well as many services that support health and education, are not age-restricted.

The Act requires providers of those social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 years of age from obtaining or maintaining accounts with the platform. A provider which fails to take such steps may be subject to a civil penalty of up to AUD 49.5 million (USD 33 million). 

While the media has been replete with stories of under-16s who have managed to circumvent the ban, there are no penalties for under-16 users who access an account on an age-restricted social media platform, or for their parents or carers. 

The processes used by each platform to verify a user’s age vary. Most ask the user to provide a video selfie to determine their age; alternatively, users can also use a government-issued identification document. Any information the provider collects for the purposes of verifying a user’s age must only be used for that purpose, and must be destroyed as soon as it is no longer required for that purpose. Failure to do so constitutes a breach of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). 

The laws were introduced with the aim of protecting young people from the pressures and risks they can be exposed to through social media, including:

• spending too much time on screens;
• exposure to negative, upsetting or manipulative content; and
• harmful conduct such as cyberbullying and harmful content such as pornography.

A survey conducted by Monash University showed that 79% of Australian adults supported the age restrictions. Levels of support varied by age, with 72% of 18-24 year olds supporting the ban, compared to 87% of those 65 or older.

The key concerns cited by those who supported the ban in Australia included concerns about forms of influence and manipulation directed toward young people by social media platforms and algorithms, as well as the risk of exposure to bullying, extremist content and  misinformation. Those who opposed the ban were concerned about government interference in an issue perceived to be a parental responsibility, censorship, effectiveness, and depriving young people of the benefits of online sociality and information.

A number of other countries have announced similar plans, including Denmark, Malaysia, Ireland and New Zealand. It is to be expected that they will look to the effects and the effectiveness of the Australian model for guidance.

Related item: Looking ahead: A global shift towards digital regulation for children