Australia will begin enforcing its under-16 social media ban on December 10, requiring platforms to block minors or face penalties of up to $49.5 million.
Australia is officially pulling the plug on underage social media use, starting December 10, with the world’s first nationwide ban on users under 16 across major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.
The new law requires tech companies to shut down existing accounts belonging to users under 16 and block any new sign-ups from minors. Platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage access could face penalties of up to $49.5 million, according to The Guardian.
The eSafety commissioner will oversee enforcement, ensuring that companies meet the law’s requirements. The policy is the first of its kind anywhere in the world.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has already begun notifying affected users. The company is offering teens the option to download their data and either suspend their accounts until they turn 16 or delete them entirely.
TikTok says it’s preparing a “multi-layered approach to age assurance” using a mix of technologies to verify users’ ages, though it hasn’t detailed exactly how that will work.
Snapchat told Australian lawmakers that it will go beyond basic ID checks and implement several verification methods. The company estimates that about 440,000 users aged 13-15 will be affected. Snapchat is also building a feature that lets users reactivate social media accounts after proving they meet the age requirement.
Platforms are not allowed to rely solely on government-issued IDs for age verification, forcing companies to explore alternative tools such as facial recognition. Meta said it will use both facial verification and ID documents to handle disputes from users who are wrongly flagged as underage.
YouTube has hinted at possible legal action against the law but has not yet filed any court challenges. The law makes exceptions for educational services like Google Classroom and YouTube Kids.
LinkedIn and other professional platforms are not affected.
If users are mistakenly flagged as underage, each platform will offer an appeals process. Some companies have yet to share how those systems will work. Officials said the list of regulated platforms could grow if underage users begin migrating to other services to bypass the ban. The law officially takes effect on December 10.
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