Starting December 10, 2024, Australia will enforce one of the strictest social media age limits in the world, banning children under 16 from holding accounts on major platforms. It’s a bold move designed to protect young users from online harm. But what does this mean for parents, kids, and social media companies? Here’s everything you should know.
The New Law: A Hard Cutoff at 16
The new law, known as the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, aims to shield children from the harmful effects of social media, including cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, and exposure to inappropriate content. While many countries have age restrictions for social media—usually around 13—Australia is taking a more aggressive stance with a hard cutoff at 16. And it’s not just about preventing access: Platforms that fail to comply with the law could be hit with hefty fines—up to $49.5 million.
What Does This Mean for Kids and Teens?
For parents, this law might sound like a long-overdue step to protect kids, but for teens, it could be a tough pill to swallow. Kids under 16 will no longer be able to open new accounts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook. And if they already have accounts? Well, those will be frozen, deactivated, or even deleted, depending on the platform. TikTok and Snapchat, for example, will archive user content and freeze accounts, while Facebook and Instagram accounts will be paused or deleted altogether.
It’s a massive shift, especially for teenagers who have come to view these platforms as essential parts of their social lives.
Which Social Media Platforms Are Affected?
But not all platforms are included in this ban. Messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Messenger Kids won’t be affected, since they’re considered private communication tools, not public social media spaces, reports Dailytelegraph. Discord is still under review, as it blurs the line with its community servers and public chats. Online gaming platforms like Roblox and Twitch are also being assessed, though it’s still unclear whether they’ll be subject to the ban.
What’s more, the law doesn’t require blanket age verification—companies won’t be asked to verify every single user’s age, which could be seen as unreasonable. Instead, platforms must implement systems that can detect and remove underage users. Importantly, platforms are forbidden from using self-reported ages alone and will need to establish ongoing processes to ensure they’re meeting the law’s requirements.
Who’s Responsible if Underage Users Get Through?
The big question, though, is how this will actually be enforced. Critics worry about the practicality of enforcing such a rule. After all, what happens if an underage person manages to sneak past age checks and access a platform? Thankfully, the law places the responsibility on the platforms, not the users. If under-16s manage to access social media sites, it’s the platform that faces penalties—not the teens themselves.
While some argue this might limit young people’s ability to connect, express themselves, or even learn in a digital age, the law is fundamentally about protecting children from online dangers. Critics fear it could push kids toward less-regulated platforms or force them to find workarounds. On the other hand, supporters believe it’s an essential step to stop companies from exploiting kids for data or profits.
