Social Media Ban

[Mindfulness.]

Australia is set to enforce a landmark ban on social media for children under 16 starting December 10, 2025, aimed at protecting young users from online dangers.

Overview of the Ban

The Australian government has introduced the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which prohibits children under the age of 16 from creating or maintaining accounts on major social media platforms. This legislation is a response to growing concerns about the mental health and safety of young Australians in the digital space, particularly regarding issues like cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content.

Affected Platforms
The ban will apply to several popular social media platforms, including:
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
Snapchat
Reddit
Threads
X (formerly Twitter)
Twitch
Kick

These platforms must take reasonable steps to enforce the age restriction, or they risk facing fines of up to AU$49.5 million (approximately US$32 million) for non-compliance.

Enforcement and Compliance
Starting December 10, 2025, social media companies will be required to implement measures to prevent children under 16 from accessing their services. This includes removing existing accounts and preventing new ones from being created. The eSafety Commissioner will oversee compliance and issue penalties for violations.

Implications for Users
Children under 16 will not be able to access these platforms, and they are encouraged to download any important data before the ban takes effect. However, they will still be able to view publicly available content that does not require a login. Importantly, there are no penalties for children who attempt to bypass the ban; the responsibility lies with the platforms to enforce the rules.

Rationale Behind the Ban
The Australian government believes that this measure is crucial for safeguarding the mental health of children and teenagers, as studies have shown significant exposure to harmful online experiences among youth. The legislation aims to mitigate risks associated with social media, including cyberbullying and online predation.

This ban represents a significant step in regulating social media use among minors and reflects a growing trend among countries to impose age restrictions on digital platforms.

What are your thoughts?

[¯|_(ツ)_|¯]

Honestly I don’t think it’s a bad thing. There’s no reason for some thirteen year old to need Facebook etc. it’s the Wild West out there.

[Arabesque- golfing girl.]

I do agree with Dez, a lot of kids and teenagers can post anything that they want at anytime. This will help keep them safe.

[theantihero]

I looked it up online and this is more about protecting children from predators. Apparently in 2024, there were several instances of girls in NSW and QLD learning there were inappropriate (explicit) deepfakes of themselves online. This could've only been done because someone stole pictures they shared on social media accounts and used them maliciously.

[Mending Me]

I mean in theory this is a really good idea, however there are ways to get around this. Kids can delete their profiles now and make a new one with a fake birth year, the only way I see this working is if they require you to show a birth certificate, drivers license, passport or an ID given by government (I was 11 and had a California ID that looked like a drivers license but was just an ID). That way you cannot fake your birth year. Oh and if it has a picture then you ah e to hold it by your face so they can prove it’s really you. Some discord servers do this and it works well.

[Mindfulness.]

It's come into effect today but what I've been told from my students is that they can still access certain parts of social media. I don't fully understand as it doesn't obviously apply to me.

[¯|_(ツ)_|¯]

Originally Posted by Mindfulness.

It's come into effect today but what I've been told from my students is that they can still access certain parts of social media. I don't fully understand as it doesn't obviously apply to me.

Do you know what parts they can still access? I'm just curious. I heard they can still see things that are public, like if someone has their profile on public they can search it. Is it that?

[theantihero]

Australia would be violating free access for all if they restricted public websites from even just a small population of people.

Right now, the only website I'm aware of that has restrictions like that is Discord in the UK.