Australia’s Bold New Law: Social Media Ban for Under‑16s Sends Tech Industry Into Overdrive

Australia has become the first country in the world to legally ban social‑media access for children under 16, forcing major technology companies to scramble to comply. 

Under the new law — passed as an amendment to the Online Safety Act 2021 — from December 10, 2025, platforms must prevent under‑16s from creating or maintaining accounts, or face fines up to A$50 million. 

 Ban Means & Who’s Affected

• The ban targets platforms whose main purpose is online social interaction—including popular names like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook/Meta, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and others.

• Messaging apps and purely educational or health‑oriented platforms are reportedly excluded from the ban’s scope.

• Platforms are required to take “reasonable steps” to verify age and block under‑16s—methods may include document ID, facial‑recognition, age inference technology, or other verification tools. 

 Why Australia Took This Step

The government argues that the law is necessary to protect children’s mental health and well-being, shielding them from online harms such as cyberbullying, addiction, harmful content, or undue algorithmic influence.

The legislation gained strong public support and was shortlisted by a broad movement for online safety among minors.

Huge Challenges & Industry Pushback

Tech companies have warned the ban will be “extremely difficult to enforce.” For platforms like YouTube, which argued for an exemption, the challenge lies in verifying age reliably while preserving user privacy and access to non-account‑based content

Indeed, critics also caution the ban might push kids toward less regulated or underground platforms—potentially making monitoring harder and undermining the law’s safety goals. 

 Global Implications: A Potential Template for Others

With Australia launching this world‑first regulation, other nations—especially in Europe and Asia—are watching closely. Some are already exploring similar restrictions or stricter age-verification laws, inspired by Australia’s effort to balance digital freedom with child welfare. 

For tech giants, this means a major overhaul of onboarding, account verification, age checks, and compliance infrastructure — a costly and complex transition that could reshape global social media norms.