Australia has passed a landmark law banning users under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms, effective December 10. The legislation among the toughest globally requires companies to take “reasonable steps” to block underage users or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32.5 million). Major platforms including Meta (Instagram and Facebook), TikTok (ByteDance), and Snap have confirmed they will comply, despite opposing the policy.
Why It Matters:
The move reflects growing global concern over youth mental health and social media’s impact on children. Australia’s strict age-based ban could set a precedent for similar regulations elsewhere, potentially reshaping how tech giants manage user verification and age protection. The companies’ reluctant compliance marks a significant shift in their global regulatory stance.
Australian Government: Pushing for stronger child protection laws online.
Meta, TikTok, and Snap: Facing operational, compliance, and reputational challenges under the new law.
Young users and parents: Directly affected by account removals and new verification systems.
Global lawmakers: Watching closely as a potential model for youth online safety reforms.
What’s Next:
Starting December 10, the platforms will deactivate identified under-16 accounts over one million in total and use AI-driven behavior tracking to detect users who misrepresent their age. Meta and TikTok will offer data storage options for minors’ content, while Snap continues to develop a review mechanism for wrongly blocked users. The law’s implementation will be closely monitored worldwide as governments debate similar restrictions.
With information from Reuters.
