More than one million Australian children awoke on Wednesday locked out of their social media accounts under a world-first ban that bars anyone under 16 from major platforms.
The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 came into force on 10 December, requiring ten platforms to take 'reasonable steps' to prevent under-16s from creating or keeping accounts. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Threads, Twitch, and Kick must now verify users' ages or face court-imposed fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars - approximately £26 million.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed it a 'proud day' for Australia. 'This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies,' International Business Times reported.
How Platforms Are Responding
Meta began removing accounts belonging to under-16s from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads on 4 December, giving users time to download their content. The company reported approximately 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook users aged 13 to 15 would be affected by its platforms alone.
TikTok confirmed all underage accounts would be disabled on 10 December, using age verification technology to identify primary users regardless of whose name appeared on the account. Snapchat accounts will be suspended for three years or until users turn 16. YouTube account holders were automatically signed out, though they can still watch videos without logging in.
Parents and children face no penalties for attempting to circumvent the restrictions.
Why Australia Banned Social Media for Under-16s
A government-commissioned study found 96% of Australian children aged 10 to 15 use social media. Seven in ten reported exposure to harmful content, including misogynistic material, fight videos, and content promoting eating disorders or suicide. One in seven experienced grooming-type behaviour from adults or older children.
Communications Minister Anika Wells described addictive platform features as 'behavioural cocaine' and referenced cases where Australian teenagers had taken their own lives after being targeted by harmful algorithms. 'This specific law will not fix every harm occurring on the internet, but it will make it easier for kids to chase a better version of themselves,' Wells said.
Which Apps Are Exempt From the Ban
Several platforms remain exempt from restrictions, including Discord, Roblox, WhatsApp, Messenger, Pinterest, YouTube Kids, and Google Classroom. The exclusion of Roblox drew criticism, given reports of children being targeted by predators on the gaming platform. The eSafety Commissioner confirmed the list of banned platforms could expand as alternative apps gain popularity.
Critics Challenge the Social Media Ban
Tech giants condemned the restrictions. YouTube argued the ban would make young Australians 'less safe' because those under 16 could still access content without an account, but would lose safety filters designed to protect teenage users.
The Digital Freedom Project filed a High Court challenge arguing the legislation violates constitutional rights to political speech. UNICEF Australia expressed concerns that banning platforms would not address underlying safety issues. 'We think it's more important to make social media platforms safer and to listen to young people,' the organisation stated.
Teenagers are already seeking alternatives. Photo-sharing platform Yope reported attracting 100,000 new Australian users, whilst TikTok-owned Lemon8 surged into the top 10 most-downloaded apps.
Despite scepticism about enforcement, polling from December 2025 shows 70% of Australian voters endorse the ban. Malaysia has announced plans to implement similar restrictions next year, whilst legislators in the United States and Europe are watching closely to see whether Australia's approach proves effective.
