Australia is set to become the first country in the world to require major social media platforms to block users under 16, with the law taking effect on 10thif December .
Meta has already begun preparations to restrict access for under-16 users in compliance with the new regulations. Ten major platforms, including TikTok and YouTube, must follow the law or face fines of 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32 million). The ban is expected to affect hundreds of thousands of teens; Instagram alone reports about 350,000 Australian users aged 13 to 15.
Some platforms, such as Roblox, Pinterest, and WhatsApp, are currently exempt, though the list is still under review. Twitch was added to the list less than two weeks before the law comes into effect.
Meta has stated it will comply but argued that app stores, rather than individual platforms, should verify users’ ages to avoid requiring teens to confirm their age across multiple apps. YouTube has also criticised the law, claiming that under-16s could still access the site without accounts but lose safety filters, potentially making them “less safe.”
Communications Minister Anika Wells dismissed YouTube’s objections as “weird,” emphasising that platforms should take responsibility for unsafe content. She noted that harmful algorithms have contributed to teen suicides and said the law, while not a complete solution, will help protect young people.
The Digital Freedom Project has challenged the law in Australia’s High Court, calling it an “unfair” restriction on free speech. Regulators acknowledge that teens may still try to bypass the rules using fake IDs, and no system will be fully foolproof.
Other countries are closely observing Australia’s approach. Malaysia plans to introduce a similar ban next year, while the EU, France, Denmark, Greece, Romania, and New Zealand have expressed interest in establishing minimum ages for social media use.
