Australia became the first country in the world to implement a nationwide ban preventing children under the age of 16 from using major social-media platforms. The law requires platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and several others to block under-16s from holding accounts.
The ban comes into effect as part of legislation passed in 2024, carried out by the national online-safety eSafety Commissioner under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2025. Platforms must take “reasonable steps” to prevent minors from using their services.
Officials argue the ban is necessary to shield children from online harms excessive screen time, algorithm-driven content that can affect mental health, and exposure to unsafe material.
Some parents and child-safety advocates have welcomed the law as a decisive step towards protecting young people. Others including civil-rights and digital-freedom groups warn it is a blunt instrument that may do more harm than good. Critics argue a total ban disregards the benefits social media can bring: social connection, access to information, creative expression.
There are also practical concerns: enforcing accurate age verification is challenging, and some under-16s may simply evade restrictions using fake credentials or VPNs.
As of December 10 2025, existing under-16 accounts must be deactivated and new accounts blocked, or the responsible companies risk steep fines.
The law will be closely watched internationally other countries are now considering similar age-based social media restrictions. Legal challenges have already been filed, raising questions about online rights, free expression and the effectiveness of such bans.
This new law marks a turning point in global efforts to regulate social media access especially for children.
