Asia and Oceania

Australia bans social media for under 16s

The new law provides for the blocking of the accounts of hundreds of thousands of teenagers and fines of up to AUD 50 million for platforms

by Massimo De Laurentiis

20 November 2025

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

How the law works
Platform reactions
Similar cases in the world

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

In Australia, children under the age of 16 will no longer have access to social media. By 10 December, accounts affected by the ban will be removed from a list of platforms that includes all major social networks. This is one of the most restrictive measures in the world on this issue.

How the law works

The block involves Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and Kick.

Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Messenger remain outside the measure, as do the streaming platforms Roblox, Discord and Twitch.

Companies on the Australian government's list will have to prevent access to their services for teenagers under 16, with penalties of up to almost AUD$50 million (around €28 million) for each infringement.

Julie Inman Grant, Australia's eSafety commissioner, said the ban aims to protect teenagers 'from the pressures and risks they may be exposed to while logged into social media accounts'.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the standard, described as world-leading, aims to 'let boys be boys'.

The reactions of the platforms

Tiktok had already declared that it would comply with the new law, while pointing out the risk that such a strict ban could push teenagers into unprotected Internet environments.

Snapchat also announced its willingness to comply with the regulation, while YouTube disputes its inclusion in the list of platforms subject to the block. The company had previously also threatened potential legal action against Australia's decision.

Elon Musk's Platform X has also expressed its opposition to the ban and has not yet specified whether it will comply with the new rules.

Meta was the first company to declare that it would comply with the law and began warning users whose accounts will be removed. Through SMS, e-mail and in-app messages, the company is notifying users between 13 and 15 years old that their profiles will be deactivated as of 4 December. Before the ban, affected teens will be able to download and save their posts, videos and messages.

The Australian Internet Regulatory Authority estimates that, in the 13-15 age group, there are 150,000 users on Facebook and 350,000 on Instagram. Numbers that pose a new technical challenge to the American big tech, which will have to identify and remove hundreds of thousands of accounts by the deadline.

Similar cases in the world

Other countries are also trying to restrict access to social media for teenagers. In 2024 in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis signed one of the most restrictive laws in the US, banning the use of social media for children under 14 and requiring parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds. The following year, however, this measure was blocked by a federal judge because it was deemed contrary to the US Constitution.

In Europe, Spain, France and Greece have put forward a proposal to the European Commission to make the criteria for opening a profile on platforms more stringent and effective. Among the demands of the three EU Member States is to implement age verification systems and parental control tools that allow parents to manage their children's access to social networks.

Some Nordic countries, such as Norway and Denmark, are also proposing legislation to raise the minimum age for platform users to 15. The main concerns relate to the negative effects on learning, mental health and social relationships that the use of social media would have on minors.