Australia has become the first country in the world to enact a comprehensive ban on social media usage for individuals under the age of 16. This significant legislation has resulted in millions of children and teenagers losing access to their social media accounts. Major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and TikTok have been instructed to remove accounts belonging to users under 16 years old and to prevent these minors from creating new accounts as of Wednesday.
Social media platforms that fail to comply with this ban could face hefty fines of up to $49.5 million. Although most platforms confirmed their compliance by Tuesday, there have been initial complications with the implementation of the ban. Reports have emerged, as noted by Guardian Australia, of under-16 users successfully passing facial age verification tests, raising concerns about the ban's effectiveness. However, government officials have indicated that they do not expect the ban to be flawlessly executed from the outset.
Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, stated that discussions had taken place with X regarding its compliance, but the platform had yet to communicate its policy to users. Additionally, Bluesky, an alternative to X, announced its own ban on users under 16, despite being assessed as a “low risk” due to its smaller user base of approximately 50,000 in Australia.
In recent weeks, children have been undergoing age assurance checks, exchanging phone numbers, and preparing for their accounts to be disabled. Kieran Donovan, CEO and co-founder of the age assurance service k-ID, reported that his service has conducted hundreds of thousands of age checks recently, with platforms like Snapchat using their services. Parents have shared a range of opinions regarding the ban. Some express concern for their children, like one mother whose 15-year-old daughter felt “very distressed” after being identified as under 16, while her friends were verified as over 18.
Conversely, some parents view the ban as a necessary measure. One father mentioned that he now has to instruct his child on how to bypass age restrictions, including using VPNs and setting up adult accounts on platforms like YouTube. Others, however, believe the ban could not have come soon enough, citing their children's excessive social media usage and the need for a support framework to limit access.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the importance of the legislation in a recent opinion piece, stating, “From the beginning, we’ve acknowledged this process won’t be 100% perfect. But the message this law sends will be 100% clear.” He drew parallels to the legal drinking age, underscoring the societal benefits of having a clear national standard. Polling data indicates that approximately two-thirds of voters support raising the minimum age for social media usage to 16.
The opposition party, including leader Sussan Ley, has recently expressed concerns about the ban, despite previously supporting the legislation. The ban has attracted international attention, with countries like Malaysia, Denmark, and Norway considering similar measures. The European Union has already passed a resolution to implement comparable restrictions, while the British government is closely monitoring Australia’s approach to age regulations.
Inman Grant plans to send notices to the platforms affected by the ban to assess the implementation's progress. Questions will focus on the number of accounts deactivated, challenges faced, and measures taken to prevent circumvention. The gathered information will be made public, and the regulator will evaluate whether platforms are taking appropriate steps to comply with the ban. Should they fail to do so, legal action could be pursued to impose fines.
An independent evaluation of the ban will be conducted by an academic advisory group to analyze its short-term, medium-term, and long-term impacts. This evaluation will consider various factors, including improvements in mental health, academic performance, and behavioral changes in children. Potential unintended consequences to be studied include whether children seek out “darker areas of the internet” or learn to bypass the bans using VPNs.
As the ban takes effect, many teens on Snapchat have already begun sharing their mobile numbers publicly as a means of circumventing the restrictions. A spokesperson for Snapchat has urged users to refrain from sharing personal information. Inman Grant has also reached out to 15 companies not initially included in the ban, encouraging them to self-assess their compliance. The social media landscape in Australia is poised for significant changes as this landmark legislation unfolds.