By Tanya Sakzewski
Australia’s social media ban for under 16s takes effect on 10 December, despite concerns over enforceability, accessibility and safety.
The ban, which raises the age for creating social media accounts from 13 to 16, aims to safeguard the health and wellbeing of young people. It affects Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube. Under 16s will not be able to set up new accounts and existing accounts will be deactivated.
The ban, under an amendment to the Online Safety Act, places responsibility for compliance on social media companies. They will be required to ‘take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having accounts on their platforms’ with the government’s eSafety agency able to take action against tech companies if they don’t. That action includes court-imposed fines of up to $49.5 million AUD (32.7 million USD or 24.5 million GBP).
Platforms are being banned if they enable online interaction between two or more people or end-users, allow end-users to post material on the service, and material is accessible to, or delivered to, end-users in Australia.
The eSafety Commissioner says services that do not currently meet the criteria for being an ‘age-restricted social media platform’ include Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, LEGO Play, Messenger, Pinterest, Roblox, Steam and Steam Chat, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids.
The right response?
The Australian Human Rights Commission says “there are arguments for and against the introduction of a social media ban for under-16s. While a ban may help to protect children and young people from online harms, it will also limit important human rights”.
It says while better protection is needed for children and young people online, on balance the Commission “does not believe that a blanket ban on social media for under-16s is the right response”.
UNICEF Australia says the ban will not be “a solve-all for protecting young people from the wide range of online harms that exist”. It has highlighted that the ban risks pushing children to increasingly covert and unregulated online spaces as well as preventing them from accessing aspects of the online world essential to their wellbeing.
Google and its video platform YouTube say they care about the safety of children and have spent more than a decade building robust protections and parental controls. It claims the ban misunderstands its platform and how young people use it.
“This law will not fulfill its promise to make kids safer online, and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube.” The platform says parents will lose the ability to supervise their teen or tween’s account on YouTube and will no longer be able to use any controls they have set up, such as blocking specific channels.
What does it mean for young people?
Most young people in the country use social media and will be affected by the ban, unless they find a way around it.
A 2025 survey by eSafety found that 96 per cent of children aged 10-15 had used social media. The most popular platforms were YouTube (76%), TikTok (56%), Instagram (47%), Snapchat (46%) and Facebook (42%).
The survey also found exposure to online harms, including sexist, misogynistic or hateful content, content depicting dangerous online challenges or fight videos, or content that encourages unhealthy eating or exercise habits, was common (71%).
Fifty-seven per cent had seen online hate, 52 per cent has been cyberbullied, and 24 per cent had experienced online sexual harassment.
Isolation?
Psychologists are warning that a sudden disconnection from digital social spaces could trigger feelings of isolation and anxiety. The Australian Psychological Society (APS) says while the ban may protect young people from online risks, it needs to be balanced as an abrupt loss of digital connection could also heighten loneliness, anxiety and distress.
APS CEO Dr Zena Burgess said in a statement: “The intent to shield young people from harmful content and pressures is welcomed. But we need to keep in mind that removing access to platforms without providing meaningful alternatives risks creating a void in their social lives and could lead to mental health concerns. Social media also offers vital connection for children who experience stigma or marginalisation in their community, such as those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent children. For these people, online communities are often sources of support and validation.”
Advocacy groups for people with disabilities are also highlighting areas of concern, including accessibility.
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) opposed to the ban, warning it risks “seriously harming Australia’s disabled young people” as social media provides an accessible way for many of them to connect with peers, participate in community or advocacy, and access vital health and wellbeing information. The organisation is now focusing on how the legislation is put into action, calling for age checks to be accessible, so the rights of disabled children and young people are not compromised.
Backlash
The ban is currently being challenged in the High Court on the grounds it restricts young teens’ implied right to freedom of political communication. The action is being taken by two teenagers, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, and backed by the Digital Freedom Project. The group claims the new law is ”grossly excessive” and trespasses on the “constitutional right of freedom of political communication”.
Following the example
The ban, the first in the world, is being watched around the world, with a number of countries signalling they will follow with similar legislation.
Malaysia says it is planning to ban social media accounts for people under 16 starting in 2026. Spain has approved a draft law which raises the minimum age for opening a social media account from 14 to 16.
Denmark says it has reached an agreement for a social media ban for under 15s, however parents would be able to grant their 13- and 14-year-olds access.
Under 15s in countries like France also need parental approval to create accounts. However, in September a French parliamentary inquiry recommended children under 15 be banned from social media and there should be an overnight “digital curfew” for 15-18 year olds.
European politicians are calling for ‘ambitious’ EU action to protect minors online, which could include an EU-wide ban on under 16s.
A safer future?
In the final days before the ban takes effect, many news reports in Australia have focused on how teenagers are planning to bypass it. Other stories have highlighted the growing popularity of Apps currently not under the ban, as more youth sign up to them.
But perhaps the final thought about the social media ban should come from young people themselves.
A report release on 1 December by Queensland University of Technology found that young people want social media to be improved, but most don’t believe the under 16 age restriction is the answer. Most also don’t believe the age restriction is enforceable.
It remains to be seen how effective the ban will be in keeping young people off certain platforms, how enforceable it will be, and whether warnings of increased risks to youth came to fruition.
