Starting Today, Social Media Is Banned for Australian Kids Under 16

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, Twitch, X and Kick are the 10 platforms banned for kids in Australia

Stock image of teenage girls are looking at a smartphone.Credit : Getty

Australia has officially banned social media for kids under 16.

Beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 10, children in Australia no longer have access to social media, after The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 was passed in November 2024. The law’s goal is to protect children from social media platforms, which have caused a mental health crisis among children, experts say.

The law includes bans on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, Twitch, X and Kick, according to The New York Times. The list of sites could expand as new platforms gain more popularity, according to CNN.

The various platforms were instructed to identify and report how many accounts were held by users under 16 years old before and after the ban, and again in six months. The companies were also instructed to disable any underage accounts, and if they do not comply, they could be fined around $32 million (49.5 Australian dollars). Children and parents will not be fined.

Stock image of teenagers use phones in the school hallway.Getty

It remains unclear how the companies will enforce the age restrictions. The law does not allow companies to ask for government-issued identification to prove their age, according to the NYT. Additionally, the platforms are checking users’ ages by asking them to provide live video selfies, email addresses or official documents, according to CNN.

YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram were the most-used platforms among Australian children, according to the Australian eSafety Commissioner’s 2024 study. Additionally, 96% of children in the country between the ages of 10 and 15 use social media, according to a November 2025 eSafety Commissioner study.

While 77% of Australians were in favor of the new law, the social media platforms have said the ban would be “less safe” for young people.

“Disconnecting teens from their friends and family doesn’t make them safer — it may push them to less safe, less private messaging apps,” Snapchat said in a November statement.

On Dec. 3, a Meta spokesperson told the BBC it “is committed to complying with the law,” adding, “we believe a more effective standardised and privacy-preserving approach is needed.”

Stock image of a person holding a smartphone with various social media apps.Alicia Windzio/picture alliance via Getty

Australian leaders are looking forward to the positive outcomes from the ban.

“This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies. They are asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Australia eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant is hopeful that similar bans will be enacted in other countries. “I’ve always referred to this as the first domino, which is why they pushed back,” she said at a recent event in Sydney, reports NBC News.

The NYT reports that Denmark and Malaysia are also considering similar children’s social media bans.

The Australian eSafety Commissioner is working with Stanford University’s Social Media Lab to gather and analyze data on the legislation’s impact on young people.

“We recognize the responsibility we hold in safeguarding children and supporting families as they navigate digital life. We also recognize that the eyes of the world are on Australia,” Stanford University shared in a statement. “We are hopeful that the evidence generated can directly support and inform decision-making by other countries as they seek to promote the online safety of children in their jurisdictions.”

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.