Australia Implements World-First Social Media Ban for Under-16s

Australia has implemented a groundbreaking social media ban for children under 16, which took effect on December 9, 2025. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed this as a significant step towards reclaiming power from tech giants and enhancing child safety, urging children to engage in offline activities.

The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, stated that social media platforms face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars if they do not comply with the law that requires them to remove underage accounts.

While some children have expressed their discontent by posting farewell messages online, parents have shown support, viewing this as a necessary measure to protect their children from online harms. Critics, including groups advocating for digital rights, have raised concerns about free speech and the ban's potential to isolate youth from their communities.

The law mandates platforms to implement age verification measures, and the Australian government plans to assess the effectiveness of the ban by Christmas 2025. Communication Minister Anika Wells emphasized that the platforms already possess sufficient user data to enforce these age restrictions, but acknowledged that some children might attempt to circumvent the rules.

This landmark decision is being closely watched worldwide, as other countries consider similar measures in response to growing concerns over children's mental health linked to social media use.