Australia bans under-16s from social media in world-first crackdown

AFP/APP

Sydney: Australia on Wednesday imposed a world-first ban preventing children under 16 from using social media, declaring it was time to “take back control” from powerful tech giants.

Under the new rules, major platforms — including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X — face fines of up to US$33 million if they fail to remove Australia-based users younger than 16. The move positions Australia among the first nations to push back so forcefully against global tech companies, with other governments watching closely.

“Enough is enough,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “It is one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has faced. We will take back control.”

The government says unprecedented action was necessary to protect children from “predatory algorithms” that bombard them with bullying, sexual content and violence. The laws came into effect just after midnight, leaving hundreds of thousands of adolescents locked out of apps they once used for hours each day.

Ten-year-old Bianca Navarro was already counting the years until she can return to YouTube. “It will be pretty sad because I have six years until I can watch it,” she told AFP.

Blacklisted

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Reddit are now prohibited from creating or maintaining accounts belonging to Australian users under 16. Streaming platforms Kick and Twitch are also blacklisted, along with Threads and X.

The ban has been welcomed by parents frustrated by children’s screen habits. Mia Bannister, whose teenage son Ollie died by suicide after online bullying and exposure to harmful dieting videos, said she wants accountability.

“I’m sick of the social media giants shirking responsibility,” she said. “The problem is we hand them a phone and we hand them the greatest weapon we could hand them.”

Researchers say excessive online time is harming teen wellbeing, though the exact impact is difficult to separate from other lifestyle factors.

Father-of-five Dany Elachi called the move a long-overdue “line in the sand.”

“We need to err on the side of caution before putting anything addictive in the hands of children,” he said.

‘Really distracted’

The crackdown has drawn global attention from teenagers and educators alike.

“Students nowadays, they are really distracted,” said Nigerian high-schooler Mitchelle Okinedo, 15.

But others argue social media is essential. “Social media today is very important for expressing yourself, no matter how old you are,” said 16-year-old Santiago Ramirez Rojas from Mexico City.

Tech companies have condemned the ban. Meta, parent of Facebook and Instagram, warned it could drive teens toward “less regulated platforms or apps,” saying those concerns were already becoming reality.

Elon Musk’s X told young users the ban was “not our choice — it’s what the Australian law requires.”

Alternative apps like Lemon8 and yope — which are not currently included in the ban — have surged in downloads. Meanwhile, platforms such as Reddit face potential legal battles, and Australian digital rights groups are preparing their own challenges.

Rushed or reasonable?

New Zealand and Malaysia are considering similar restrictions, with Australia’s rollout seen as a test case for the world.

The government acknowledges the ban will not be perfect at first and that tech-savvy teenagers may find ways around it. But platforms face fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million) if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage access.

How Australia’s online safety regulator defines “reasonable” remains unclear. Platforms will be solely responsible for verifying users’ ages, using tools such as AI-based age estimation or optional ID uploads.

Debate continues over which platforms fall under the ban. Apps like Roblox, Pinterest and WhatsApp are currently exempt — though the government says the list remains under review.

Most platforms already require users to be at least 13, a standard shaped by US laws on children’s data privacy.