Australia has introduced one of the world’s toughest online safety measures, banning anyone under the age of 16 from having accounts on major social media platforms. The new rule, part of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, will officially take effect on 10 December 2025.
Under this law, platforms that allow under-age accounts after the deadline could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million, making compliance mandatory for all major global social networks.
Who Will Be Affected?
The 16+ rule applies to widely used platforms such as:
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- X (Twitter)
- YouTube
These platforms must prevent under-16s from opening new accounts and remove or freeze existing ones.
Apps Excluded for Now
Some services remain outside the ban:
- Messenger
- Google Classroom
- Educational or health-related platforms
Gaming and streaming services like Roblox and Twitch are still being assessed and may be added later.
What Happens to Existing Under-16 Accounts?
Children already using these platforms will face restrictions:
- Accounts may be frozen or deactivated.
- Posting, messaging, commenting, or uploading will be blocked.
- Some platforms may allow users to save their content before losing access.
Kids and parents won’t be penalized — the responsibility lies entirely with the social media companies.
Why Australia Raised the Age Limit
The government says the 16+ rule aims to reduce:
- Cyberbullying
- Mental health harm
- Exposure to unsafe or inappropriate content
- Addictive online behaviour
- Online grooming
- Body-image pressure
Supporters argue that delaying social media access gives young people more emotional maturity before entering algorithm-driven environments.
What Comes Next?
Several details remain uncertain:
- More platforms may be added over time.
- Stronger age-verification tools will be required, raising privacy concerns.
- Experts debate whether bans or improved parental controls are the better approach.
Australia’s bold move sets a new global benchmark in online safety — and other countries are watching closely.
Read more updates in our latest Tech News section.
Disclaimer: NZ Indian Insights and does not claim ownership of original reporting.
FAQs
When will the 16+ social media rule start in Australia?
The new age restriction will take effect from 10 December 2025, after which anyone under 16 will be blocked from creating or using accounts on major social media platforms.
Which platforms are affected by this rule?
The law applies to major social networks including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X (Twitter), and YouTube. These platforms must remove or restrict accounts belonging to users under 16.
What happens to kids who already have social media accounts?
Existing accounts belonging to under-16s may be frozen, restricted, or removed. Posting, messaging, and commenting will be disabled depending on the platform.
Why has Australia introduced a 16+ age limit?
The government says the rule aims to protect children from harmful content, cyberbullying, online predators, mental health risks, and addictive behaviour linked to early social media use.
