Key Points
- Australia’s unprecedented social media ban takes effect on December 10, 2025, blocking all users under 16 from major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Snapchat, Reddit, Threads, and Twitch
- Platforms face penalties up to A$49.5 million ($32 million USD) if they fail to take “reasonable measures” to prevent underage accounts
- Over 1 million Australian teenagers (96% of under-16s) currently have social media accounts that will be suspended
- Meta started removing suspected underage accounts from December 5, 2025, offering age verification through government ID or Yoti video selfie for wrongly removed accounts
- YouTube will automatically sign out all users under 16 from December 10, 2025, preventing them from subscribing, liking, or commenting
- TikTok will block under-16s from December 16, 2025, preventing them from holding or creating accounts
- eSafety Commissioner will issue notices to 10 platforms on December 11, requiring monthly reports for six months on suspended underage accounts
- High Court granted special hearing in February 2025 to two 15-year-olds challenging the ban as unconstitutional restriction on political communication
- Multiple countries including Malaysia, EU nations, France, Denmark, Greece, Romania, and New Zealand are watching Australia’s implementation closely
Australia will implement the world’s first comprehensive social media ban for children under 16 on December 10, 2025, marking a historic shift in online child safety regulation. The groundbreaking legislation requires 10 major platforms—Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, Reddit, Threads, Kick, and Twitch to take “reasonable steps” to prevent Australians under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. Companies that fail to comply face maximum penalties of A$49.5 million (approximately $32 million USD or £25 million), making this one of the most strictly enforced age restriction policies globally.
The eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated at the Sydney Dialogue cyber summit that the ban represents “a tipping point” in global efforts to curb the influence of major technology companies. According to official data, approximately 96% of Australian teenagers under 16 over one million users, currently hold social media accounts, all of which are expected to be suspended under the new law.
Tech Giants Begin Mass Account Removal
Meta has already started proactively removing users under 16 from its platforms ahead of the December 10 deadline. A Meta spokesperson told the BBC on Thursday that “complying with the law will be an ongoing and multifaceted effort,” emphasizing the complexity of age verification processes. The company began eliminating suspected underage accounts from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads on December 5, 2025. Users whose accounts are mistakenly removed can prove their age by providing a government-issued ID or completing a video selfie verification through Yoti Age Verification service.
YouTube announced that all users under 16 will be automatically signed out from December 10, 2025, preventing them from subscribing to channels, liking videos, or commenting on content, although they can still view videos while logged out. The platform did not specify its exact age verification methodology but stated it will rely on Google account data and other indicators. TikTok followed suit, announcing it will block under-16s from December 16, 2025, meaning they will no longer be able to hold or create accounts on the platform.
Mandatory Monthly Compliance Reporting
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland (referred to as Anneka Wells in some reports) announced that the eSafety Commissioner will issue formal notices to all 10 platforms on December 11, 2025, requesting detailed evidence of compliance. The notices will require platforms to report how many underage accounts existed on December 9 (before the law) and December 11 (after implementation), establishing a baseline for enforcement. Platforms must then submit monthly reports for six consecutive months documenting their ongoing efforts to identify and remove underage users.
The government acknowledges that age assurance processes may require several days or weeks to complete fairly and accurately. However, if the eSafety Commissioner identifies systematic breaches of the law, platforms will face the maximum penalties. This phased enforcement approach aims to balance effective implementation with realistic technological limitations in age verification.
Constitutional Challenge Heads to High Court
Two 15-year-old plaintiffs, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, have launched a constitutional challenge against the ban in Australia’s High Court, supported by the Digital Freedom Project led by New South Wales parliament member John Ruddick. The High Court agreed on December 4, 2025, to grant a special hearing as early as February 2025, following a brief directions hearing conducted by Chief Justice Stephen Gageler. The challenge argues that the ban violates the implied constitutional right to political communication and disproportionately affects vulnerable youth, including those with disabilities, First Nations individuals, rural residents, and LGBTIQ+ teenagers.
The Digital Freedom Project initially sought an injunction to delay implementation but has since reached an agreement with the Commonwealth to set aside that request in favor of a constitutional special case hearing. Australian media reports suggest YouTube is also contemplating its own High Court challenge, arguing the ban imposes unconstitutional restrictions on political communication. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland stated the government will vigorously defend the law, citing widespread calls from Australian parents to take decisive action to protect children online.
Global Implications and International Interest
Governments and technology companies worldwide are closely monitoring Australia’s pioneering enforcement model, which could establish a global benchmark for regulating minors’ access to social media. In November 2025, Malaysia announced it would ban social media accounts for children under 16 starting in 2026. The European Union, France, Denmark, Greece, Romania, and New Zealand have all expressed serious interest in implementing similar minimum age restrictions.
The Australian government defended the legislation by highlighting research showing that excessive social media use is detrimental to young teenagers, contributing to misinformation exposure, facilitating cyberbullying, and promoting harmful body image standards. The law was enacted in November 2024 and reportedly enjoys support from a majority of Australians according to public opinion surveys. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who initially had concerns about the “blunt-force” nature of the ban, now fully supports it after incremental regulatory changes proved ineffective in compelling platforms to improve child safety measures.
