Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reinforced his government’s commitment to a world-first law that will ban children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts, with the legislation set to take effect on December 10, 2025. The move, passed by parliament in late 2024, aims to protect young people from online harms.
Key Details of the Ban
Target Platforms: The ban covers major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and Threads.
Enforcement Responsibility: The onus for enforcement lies entirely with the social media companies, not with children or their parents. Platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to verify user ages and prevent underage accounts face fines of up to A$49.5 million.
Age Verification: The government has not mandated a specific age-verification technology, but platforms are expected to use systems like official ID uploads or facial/voice recognition. The law explicitly states that no Australian will be forced to use government identification (including Digital ID) for age assurance.
Exclusions: The law does not cover messaging apps like WhatsApp, online games, or educational and health services such as Google Classroom or Headspace.
Government Stance: Prime Minister Albanese stated that the law is “one of the biggest social and cultural changes our nation has faced” and is intended to lead to “better outcomes and less harm for young Australians”. Communications Minister Anika Wells has maintained that the government “will not be intimidated by Big Tech” amid legal challenges and pushback from companies.
Social media companies have voiced concerns that the law was rushed and could be ineffective or difficult to implement, potentially driving teenagers to less regulated parts of the internet. Meanwhile, some young campaigners have also argued the ban disregards children’s rights.