Australia — Australia will introduce a nationwide ban preventing anyone under 16 from having accounts on major social media platforms under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 passed in November last year.
The nationwide ban will take effect on December 10, 2025 and will mainly place responsibility on tech and platform companies.
Users aged 16 and below will be banned from creating or keeping accounts on platforms including YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, Threads, and Kick.
Firms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to enforce the minimum age policy could face penalties of up to 50 million AUD.
The Government argues the measure is needed to protect children’s mental health, citing risks such as cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators.
Under the law, parents cannot provide consent for under-16s to access the restricted platforms.
Services such as Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom and YouTube Kids are expected to remain accessible.
Platforms will be required to verify users’ ages through methods such as age estimation technology using photos or videos, or by offering ID checks alongside alternative options.
No penalties will be imposed on young people who currently hold accounts, as enforcement will fall solely on the companies operating the platforms.
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