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Australia’s new social media ban is now in effect, barring anyone under the age of 16 from Facebook, X, Reddit and…YouTube? With plenty of kids likely to circumvent these new restrictions, the entire ordeal seems overcumbersome and flawed.
Starting from December 10th 2025, all Australian citizens under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to make personal accounts on any of the major social media platforms. This includes TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick.
The move is part of an amendment to the Online Safety Act 2021, referred to as the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024.
Onus will fall on each individual platform to regulate and manage its users, with the government promising fines of up to $49.5 million AUD for sites that fail to keep restrictions in place. In the lead up to the ban, Facebook and Instagram have shut down over half a million accounts, and any attempt to make a new one will be blocked if the user is under 16.
Age verification processes have also been introduced in much the same way as the UK’s recent restriction protocols on sexually explicit websites. These may include asking for proof of ID, using face recognition scanning, or submitting photos, among other methods.
This initiative is the first of its kind in the world and is reportedly being closely monitored by other countries such as the UK and Malaysia. That shouldn’t be too surprising given the UK’s stance on sexual content and user availability, and it’s highly likely that more limitations are planned for the future.
What has the public reaction been?
Surprisingly, a large portion of Australians back the ban, with over two thirds saying they approve in a poll by The Courier Mail. Many parents say that a firm legal stance gives them more agency over their child’s social media use, with clear rules that encourage a reduction in screen time. This, in turn, could help to improve the mental health of Gen Alpha as they grow into adulthood.
The link between social media and poor mental wellbeing is well documented. Studies show that endless scrolling can cause depression and anxiety, as well as disrupt sleep and lower self esteem. As an elderly Gen Zer, I can say first hand that logging on to social platforms as a teenager and engaging with influencer culture isn’t healthy nor particularly fun.
By banning most of these platforms for under 16s, Australia’s government hopes to protect the health of its youngest citizens, curbing screen addiction, body dysmorphia, and bullying before they become major issues in adulthood. It’s thought that Gen Z’s growing mental health crisis correlates with a generational uptick in social media use, and this latest legislation is an attempt to address this.
With all that being said, it’s hard not to see the major flaws in this move. Many teenagers, activists, and vulnerable communities have expressed concern at what they believe to be a major blow to freedom of expression and connectivity.
With far fewer channels to make friends and link with like-minded peers, more young people may find themselves socially isolated and unable to attain the support they need. One group has even filed proceedings in Australia’s courts, arguing that the ban restricts rights to political communication, though the federal response has strongly pushed back and says it will not be ‘intimidated’ by legal action.
This determination to lock all children out of online spaces seems particularly heavy-handed given that almost everything is being hidden behind an age verification gate.
Does YouTube really need to be shut down, for example?
There are so many instances where a video hosting website would be genuinely, logistically useful; making a recipe, learning how to fix something, beating a hard boss on a video game. Are we really saying that fifteen-year-olds can’t save that content into a personal folder? It seems a bit daft, frankly.
Speaking to the Independent, teenagers in Australia expressed similar frustration at the position they’ve been forced into. They say that adults are only seeing the ‘bad sides’ to online communities, and not acknowledging or appreciating the many benefits.
This includes learning skills, exploring their identity, finding new interests, and making connections with those who may be marginalised or from similar backgrounds. A blanket ban doesn’t cater for any of these nuances, and treats all online platforms the same.
As we’ve seen in the UK, teenagers are far more likely to circumvent the ban than they are to follow it. VPN downloads have spiked since age limits were first introduced in Britain, suggesting that the ban won’t necessarily stop most from doing what they want – just introduced a new, additional step.
Young people will still want to communicate, consume content, engage in group chats, and be part of the same spaces they’re accustomed to. By looking for other methods to access these places, they may also face greater exposure to unregulated and unsafe areas of the internet, where their privacy is at risk.
