It’s official, Australia’s social media ban for under-16s has come into effect as of today.
ICYMI, Australia is the first in the world to implement a social media ban for children and teenagers under the age of 16. With the ban, some of the biggest social media platforms on the net must take steps to prevent Aussies under 16 from making accounts.
If the tech giants fail to take “reasonable steps” to stop under-16s from hopping online, they could be hit with a massive fine.
So, with the ban being rolled out today, here’s everything you need to know about Australia’s world-first social media ban.
What is Australia’s social media ban?
In November 2024, the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 officially passed by the Senate.
This means social media platforms — such as Facebook, Snapchat, X, Instagram and Tumblr — must take steps to prevent Aussies under the age of 16 from having accounts.
Why is there a social media ban?
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the ban was put forward due to growing concerns surrounding youth health, wellbeing and the impact of excessive screentime.
“Social media is causing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Albo said in a November 2024 press conference.
“I want parents to be able to say, ‘Sorry, mate, it’s against the law’.”
And it will now officially become law.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 28, 2024
We're doing everything we can to keep our kids safe. pic.twitter.com/1Eiy8pv7av
Today he told ABC News that this was “a proud day”. “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. This is a proud day,” he said to the publication.
“We understand this is going to be difficult, but it is so important that young people are given the opportunity to actually grow as young humans and to differentiate as well between what is real in human interactions and what they can often be exposed to online.”
When does Australia’s social media ban start?
Australia’s social media ban came into effect on December 10, 2025. However, Meta — which owns Instagram, Facebook and Threads — announced it began to delete the accounts of under-16 users on December 4, a week before the ban kicked in.
Meta urged under-16 users to download their content before it gets wiped forever.
What social media websites will be impacted by the ban?
Per ABC News, social media platforms that will be impacted by the ban include:
- TikTok
- SnapChat
- YouTube
- X
- Kick
- Threads
These platforms could cop fines of up to $49.5 million if they take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from having accounts.
However, services such as messaging, email, voice calling, video calling, online games, education and health services, professional networking and professional development services and services that provide information about products and servcies will be exempt from the ban.
Which platforms are not impacted by the social media ban?
Not all social media platforms fell under the ban, including:
- Discord
- Lemon8
- GitHub
- Google Classroom
- LEGO Play
- Messenger
- Roblox
- Steam and Steam Chat
- YouTube Kids
This is because these apps fall under certain categories that have been exempt. The categories include:
- providing information about products or services
- messaging
- making calls
- online games
- education
- professional development
- health
Apps that weren’t among the first 10 platforms listed in the ban seemed to have shot to the top of the free charts on the Apple App Store this morning as the ban came into effect.
What happens if someone under 16 has access to social media after the ban?
To put it shortly, nothing will happen to the kids or parents. The penalty — which could be a fine of up to $50 million — would fall onto the tech giants if they don’t take “reasonable steps” to keep kids off its platforms.
How have people responded to Australia’s social media ban?
E-Safety commissioner Julie Inman Grant told ABC News that although the rollout of the ban is “messy” it’s still necessary. “People will say the rollout was messy, well it was always going to be messy when you’re dragging the most powerful rich companies kicking and screaming into doing something they don’t want to do. But it’s the right thing for Australian children,” she said.
Meta Australia managing director Will Easton said last month that the company agreed with keeping children safe. However, the ban has brought in some “challenges”.
“We share the government’s goal of creating safer, age-appropriate online experiences; however, blanket bans bring their own set of challenges,” Easton said, per 9News.
“We have invested in tools and protections to help keep young people safe online, and we will continue to advocate for solutions that balance safety, privacy, and the positive connections young Australians find on our platforms.”
Content creators at the 2024 TikTok Awards had a mixed bag of opinions surrounding the ban, with TikTok juggernaut Anna Paul stating that social media is “so bad for your mental health”.
“Listen, if I was 15 I’d be like, ‘No, I hate it,’ but because I’m 25, I’m like yeah, do that,” she told PEDESTRIAN.TV.
Could the social media ban in Australia will be reversed?
Right now, that’s the big question hanging over the new under-16s rules, and the answer largely depends on a High Court case being brought by two 15-year-olds, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, with help from a group called the Digital Freedom Project.
They’re arguing the law is unconstitutional because it interferes with the implied freedom of political communication — basically, the idea that Australians need enough space to talk about politics and government for our elections to be genuinely democratic. The court has agreed to hear their challenge as a “special case”, with a full hearing expected as early as February 2026, but an initial bid to pause the law before it started was dropped, hence the ban still kicked in as planned.
The High Court could eventually decide the ban goes too far and strike out parts of it, or it could find the law is a proportionate way to keep young people safer online — so until that ruling lands, the ban is in place and everyone is stuck in wait-and-see mode.
But hey, at least the kiddos will still have their Roblox, I guess?
Lead image: AP News
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