Australia Becomes the First Country to Ban Social Media for Under-16s
Australia has passed the world’s toughest social media restrictions, requiring platforms to prevent children under 16 from accessing their services or face multi-million dollar penalties.
The Social Media Minimum Age bill, approved by the Senate on Thursday, requires social media platforms to take “reasonable steps” to verify users’ age or risk fines of up to A$50 million ($32 million). The legislation, described as a “pivotal moment” by Liberal Sen. Maria Kovacic, is expected to affect major platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the legislation on Friday, saying it sends a message that “we’ve got your back” to parents. He previously warned parliament about social media’s role in bullying, peer pressure, and online predation.
The bill faced fierce criticism over its rushed timeline, moving from introduction to approval within a week. A Senate committee inquiry received over 100 submissions during a 24-hour window, ultimately recommending passage with modifications, including prohibiting the use of government documents for age verification.
Greens Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young opposed the legislation, warning it could push young people into “further isolation” while allowing platforms to continue operating with “no social responsibility.”
Tech giants have questioned the rapid implementation. Meta (Nasdaq: META) and TikTok said they support safer social media for young users but criticized the law’s hasty passage. Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) advocated for “device-level age verification to simplify the process,” while X said its platform is not widely used by minors.
Some experts warned the restrictions could expose children who evade the ban to unrestricted content and deter them from reporting problems to adults. Suicide Prevention Australia argues that the ban “fails to consider positive aspects of social media in supporting young people’s mental health and sense of connection.”
Despite concerns, a recent YouGov poll showed 77% of Australians favor the under-16 ban, based on a survey of 1,515 people with a 3.2% margin of error.
The government will conduct broad consultations before setting an implementation date when existing underage accounts will be deactivated. While parents and children won’t face penalties for violations, companies must demonstrate reasonable measures to enforce age restrictions.
Parent advocacy group Heads Up Alliance called for expanding the restrictions to include platforms like Discord and YouTube Shorts.
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