Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s begins today
The long-awaited ban is finally in effect
Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s will roll out today, with Meta closing the accounts of underage users from today. Here's everything you need to know about the changes.
With Australia's social media ban for under-16s taking effect today, platforms are bracing themselves for the forced closure of accounts belonging to underage Australian users.
“For all our users aged 15 and under, we understand the importance of the treasured memories, connections, and content within your accounts,” says Meta regional policy director Mia Garlick.
“Look out for our official notifications and follow the instructions to safely preserve and download your digital history across Instagram, Threads, and Facebook."
“When you turn 16 and can access our apps again all your content will be available exactly as you left it.”
The new legislation is part of the government’s increasing scrutiny of the operations of tech companies within Australia, and the impact social media is having on the mental health of young Australians.
“Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it,” Albanese says when first introducing his proposed ban last year.
Having spoken to ‘thousands’ of Australian parents, Albanese says his decision to fast-track the new legislation is rooted in the negative impact social media continues to have on developing minds.
“They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online,” he says. “I want Australian parents and families to know that the government has your back. I want parents to be able to say, ‘Sorry, mate, that’s against the law.’”
How will the ban be enforced?
Under the new legislation, users under the age of 16 who manage to access a social media platform will not be subject to penalties, nor will their parents.
Instead, the Prime Minister says the responsibility of enforcing this age limit will lie with the individual tech companies and platforms to “demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access” for underage users.
“The eSafety commissioner will have responsibility for enforcement, and there needs to be enhanced penalties to ensure compliance,” says Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, referencing the ineffectiveness of current penalties below $1m.
While Albanese and his government have declared there will be strict penalties for social media platforms that do not comply with the new regulations, the world-first legislation has not come without plenty of criticism, with many questioning how the ban will effectively be enforced.
Which platforms have banned under-16s?
Social media platforms that the legislation deems 'age-restricted' – Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and TikTok – will be forbidden from allowing children under 16 to create an account.
Parents of children under 16 will also be unable to provide consent for their children to create social media accounts.
As of now, the platforms subject to the under-16 ban are as follows:
- Snapchat
- YouTube
- Threads
- TikTok
- X (formerly Twitter)
- Kick
With Kick and Reddit only recently being added to the list, the government has expressed that, prior to the legislation coming into effect on December 10, the age restrictions could be extended to even more platforms.
Platforms currently exempt from the ban include popular streaming platforms Discord and Twitch, and messaging apps such as Messenger and WhatsApp.
What happens to existing under-16s accounts?
According to the new legislation, active accounts currently existing on the proposed age-restricted platforms will be deactivated and deleted, with the platforms themselves required to take reasonable steps to enforce this.
Albanese and Rowland have previously expressed the possibility of introducing biometric scanning technology to verify social media users’ ages and identities via a government database, yet it is currently unknown how all tech companies will respond.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has already expressed a willingness to comply with the government’s proposed legislation, yet has outlined concerns about the required technology to enforce it on its end.
Companies and platforms that are found not to comply with the new legislation could face fines of up to $49.5 million.
More Coverage
Originally published as Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s begins today
