Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch will face fines of up to A$50 million ($33 million) from Dec. 10 if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove accounts belonging to Australians under 16, the government said.
The eSafety Commissioner will issue notices on Dec. 11 asking the 10 platforms for data on how many under-16 accounts they close, with monthly notices to follow for six months, Communications Minister Anika Wells told the National Press Club of Australia. “The government recognizes that age assurance may require several days or weeks to complete fairly and accurately,” she said. Wells added that if eSafety identifies systemic breaches, platforms will face fines, and a court could apply the maximum penalty for repeated violations.
Google said anyone in Australia under 16 will be signed out of YouTube from Dec. 10 and will lose features available only to account holders, such as playlists. Google will assess users’ ages using personal data from associated Google accounts and other signals. “We have consistently said this rushed legislation misunderstands our platform, the way young Australians use it and, most importantly, it does not fulfill its promise to make kids safer online,” the company said.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads, said suspected under-16 users will be removed from those services from Thursday. Users 16 and older who are mistakenly removed can verify their age via Yoti Age Verification by submitting government-issued ID or a video selfie, Meta said.
Twitch was added to the list of age-restricted platforms less than two weeks ago.
The Sydney-based Digital Freedom Project is seeking a High Court injunction to block the law from taking effect next week; a hearing date had not been set. “Over the coming months, we will fight to defend this law in the High Court because parents … right across Australia asked for government to step up,” Wells said.
Wells noted other jurisdictions are considering minimum social media ages, pointing to Malaysia (which announced a 2026 ban for under-16s), the European Commission, France, Denmark, Greece, Romania and New Zealand.
AP
Melbourne, Updated At : 01:35 PM Dec 03, 2025 IST
