A complete ban on social media access for children under the age of 16 comes into effect in Australia today, December 10, 2025. Platforms mandated to comply with the new legislation include major services like TikTok, YouTube, and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, as well as Threads, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, Kik, Twitch, and Reddit.
The Australian government states that the ban is designed to protect young people from harmful content online. All listed platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, have now agreed to implement measures to remove underage users. Elon Musk's X has also confirmed it will comply with the new Australian law.
Platforms exempt from the ban
Platforms like Discord, Google Classroom, Messenger, GitHub, WhatsApp, Lego Play, Steam, Roblox, and YouTube Kids are currently not included in the ban. However, the Australian government’s e-safety official noted that some platforms are still under consideration, indicating that the final list is subject to change.
To enforce the law, social media platforms will be required to examine age-related signals at various levels, including account age and estimating age from profile photos. They will also have to monitor children's interactions with content.
Reactions to the legislation
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called this a proud day, stating that Australia has implemented the first global ban on social media accounts for people under the age of 16.
Meanwhile, Australian teenagers have expressed mixed feelings: some feel humiliated, while others believe they will quickly adapt. Experts and critics, however, caution that the ban could potentially isolate vulnerable teens and push them toward unregulated corners of the internet.
Penalties for non-compliance
Neither parents nor children will face punishment for breaking the ban. The penalty for violations falls entirely on the companies, which could face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately US $32 million or £25 million).
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