Australia has announced a groundbreaking policy that bars children under the age of 16 from owning social media accounts, with enforcement kicking off on December 10.
Under the new rule, global tech giants including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, YouTube, Twitch and Kick, must take “reasonable steps” to block underage users or face penalties running up to $49.5 million for serious or repeated violations.
Authorities said the move was response to growing concerns about online harm.
Government-commissioned data showed 96% of children aged 10–15 use social media, with seven in 10 exposed to dangerous or disturbing content, ranging from cyberbullying to misogyny, self-harm material and grooming attempts.
The restriction targets platforms whose primary features revolve around user interaction and content sharing. While mainstream platforms fall under the ban, services such as YouTube Kids, Google Classroom and WhatsApp were exempted. Young users may still watch general content on YouTube without signing up.
Government officials said the ban could extend to gaming platforms. Already, companies like Roblox and Discord were introducing new age-check systems to avoid potential inclusion.
Parents and children will not be penalised. Instead, the burden rests squarely on tech companies, which must deploy credible age-verification measures. Options include government-issued IDs, facial or voice recognition, and AI-powered age inference tools.
Meta said it will start shutting down teen accounts from December 4, offering ID checks or video selfies for incorrectly flagged users. Snapchat planned to verify ages through bank accounts, photo IDs or selfies. Other platforms were yet to outline their compliance plans.
Critics were questioning both technology and strategy. Government reports showed that facial age assessment tools are least accurate for the demographic they must police. Others argued that the fines were too small to deter billion-dollar firms.
Digital rights advocates also warned that the ban may push teens toward unregulated online spaces while excluding vulnerable youths who rely on social media for community support.
The sweeping collection of sensitive data has also sparked alarm, following a rise in high-profile data breaches across Australia. But the government insists strict privacy safeguards are baked into the law, including mandatory deletion of verification data once checks are complete.
Global platforms reacted with dismay when the policy was first announced. Several argue the ban is impractical, intrusive and could harm young people’s social development. Google is reportedly weighing a legal challenge over YouTube’s inclusion.
Australia becomes the first country to introduce a total ban for under-16s. Other nations, including Denmark, Norway and Spain, were considering similar age limits, while the UK and US have tried other regulatory approaches.
The Australian government admitted the rollout may be bumpy.
“It’s going to look a bit untidy on the way through,” Communications Minister Annika Wells said. “Big reforms always do.”