This morning, Australia’s world-first social media ban for under 16s came into effect.
It means anyone under the age of 16 is banned from making an account on several platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
Social media companies could face up to $50 million fines for failing to enforce the new rules.
Here’s what you need to know.
Background
In December 2024, the Government passed a law creating the ban.
It followed calls from campaign group 36 Months, citing concerns about young people’s mental health.
Then-Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said social media has “a responsibility for the safety and mental health of young Australians.”
The ban places the onus on theplatforms (instead of users) to enforce these rules. Young people will not be punished for breaking the ban.
Social media companies, on the other hand, could face fines of around $50 million if under-16s make an account on their platforms.
Platforms are included in the ban if their sole purpose, “or a significant purpose,” is to allow people to talk to each other.
The sites impacted are:
- TikTok
- Kick
- Snapchat
- Threads
- Twitch
- X
- YouTube
Age-verification
From today, platforms will need to verify the age of their users to ensure no one under 16 is on their site.
It is up to individual sites to determine how they will verify their users’ ages.
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Among the technologies being used are ConnectID (which verifies age through a bank account), k-ID (which uses image age estimation), or by uploading documents like a passport or birth certificate.
Snapchat will use ConnectID and k-ID. It said it will notreceive bank account details or government documents provided to these services –only the information that the user is or isn’t over 16.
Meta users can provide government IDs or upload a video selfie to age verification service Yoti.
TikTok will use government IDs, credit card authorisation, and Yoti to verify age.
Opposition
The Coalition has been in support of the bill since it was introduced to Parliament.
At the time, it said the ban “is the right thing to do to protect our children from online harm.”
However, this week Shadow Communications MinisterMelissa McIntosh has criticised the Government for “failing at [the] implementation” of the ban.
Swipe to see what she told TDA.
Tech response
Tech companies impacted by theban have been critical of the ban from the start.
For example, YouTube said: “This law will... make Australian kids less safe on YouTube.”
It said the change: “Requires kids to use YouTube without an account, it removes the very parental controls and safety filters built to protect them — it will not make kids safer on our platform.”
Snapchat said it “is and has always been, a visual messaging app” rather than the “Age-Restricted Social Media Platform” classification.
While Snapchat told the Government it “strongly disagree[s] with this assessment,” it agreed to comply.
The platform said: “Disconnecting teens from their friends and family doesn’t make them safer — it may push them to less safe, less private messaging apps.”
Circumvention
In the ban’s lead-up, alternative platforms like Lemon8 and Yopehave topped app store charts.
Similarly, VPN services haveincreased in popularity.
VPNs change a user’s IP address to make it appear as though they’re in a different location.
Geolocation technology could circumvent VPNs by comparing someone’s IP address to their regional patterns.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the list of platforms is “dynamic” and sites must “self-assess” if they need to comply with the ban.
Wells encouraged parents and carers to refer back to the law, asking them “to draw strength” during the transition.
Anti-bullying and youth mental health charity Dolly’s Dream said that if under 16s get around the ban and experience cyberbullying, they can still reach out for support.
13 DOLLY (133 655) or dollysdream.org.au/what-we-do/support-line
