Canberra, December 10 — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia has implemented a nationwide ban on social media use for anyone under 16, making it the first country to introduce such a measure. The new rule, which came into effect on December 10, aims to protect children’s mental health and give families greater peace of mind by limiting young people’s exposure to algorithms, endless feeds and online pressures.
Albanese said the reform shifts responsibility to social media companies rather than parents, and allows children to ‘‘be kids’’ without facing risks that earlier generations did not encounter. He described the change as a significant step to return control to families and better safeguard young people online.
Under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, passed on November 28, 2024, platforms must prevent anyone under 16 from creating or retaining accounts on specified social apps. The law does not criminalize children or their families; instead it places the onus on tech companies to enforce the age limit or face heavy penalties reportedly reaching up to about A$50 million.
UNICEF Australia said the ban targets popular services including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and similar platforms, citing risks such as cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content and contact with online predators as outweighing potential benefits for under-16s. Some child-focused or education-oriented services — for example Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom and YouTube Kids — are not expected to fall under the ban.
The government says parental consent cannot be used to override the minimum age. Enforcement details and how companies will verify age remain key implementation questions, and regulators will oversee compliance and penalties.
The move has prompted debate about children’s rights online, tech companies’ responsibilities, and how best to balance safety with young people’s access to information and social connections.
