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Australia has enacted a groundbreaking law prohibiting individuals under the age of 16 from holding accounts on a wide range of social media platforms, marking a global first in efforts to protect children from online harms.
The legislation, which will come into effect on Dec. 10, targets major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Twitch and Kick.
Under the new rules, companies that fail to ensure compliance risk fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.87 million). Platforms are legally responsible for verifying users’ ages, with some considering the use of artificial intelligence to estimate age from images, while others may request government-issued identification.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the need for the legislation, stating that social media has increasingly become a vehicle for cyberbullying, peer pressure, scams, and exposure to sexual or violent content.
“Too often, social media isn’t social at all,” Albanese said. “Instead, it’s used as a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators.”
While the policy has been praised by many parents and child welfare advocates, some industry leaders have raised concerns regarding enforcement and unintended consequences. YouTube described the law as “rushed,” warning that it could push children toward less-regulated corners of the internet.
Despite these challenges, Australian authorities maintain that the measures are necessary to safeguard children from predatory algorithms and excessive screen time. Platforms not yet included in the blacklist, such as Roblox, Pinterest and WhatsApp, remain under review.
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