Sydney, December 10, 2025 – Australia has made history by enforcing the world’s first nationwide social media age limit of 16, with millions of children and teenagers waking up this morning to find their accounts on major platforms deactivated or locked.
From midnight Wednesday, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and TikTok began systematically removing or suspending accounts belonging to anyone under 16 and blocking new registrations from minors. Companies that fail to comply face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).
The sweeping ban, which passed parliament just two weeks ago after months of heated debate, is now in full effect. Meta has already deactivated more than half a million underage Australian accounts in the past week alone. TikTok has suspended all detected under-16 profiles, Snapchat has imposed three-year bans until users turn 16, and YouTube has begun automatically signing minors out and removing personalised recommendations.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a video message that will be played in schools across the country this week, urging young people to use the upcoming summer holidays to reconnect with the real world.
“Make the most of the school holidays coming up,” he said. “Rather than spending it scrolling on your phone, start a new sport, learn a new instrument, or read that book that’s been sitting on your shelf. And importantly, spend quality time with your friends and your family — face to face.”
The government insists the ban is about protecting children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and addictive algorithms. Parents and child-safety advocates have overwhelmingly welcomed the move, with many describing it as long overdue.
But the rollout has also sparked intense backlash. Major tech companies have warned the law is unworkable and could drive vulnerable teenagers toward unregulated corners of the internet. Free-speech groups argue it infringes on young people’s rights, while privacy advocates have raised alarm about the potential use of facial recognition and government ID checks for age verification.
Many teenagers are already finding ways around the restrictions. Popular workarounds include using VPNs to mask location, borrowing older siblings’ accounts, or migrating to lesser-known platforms that fall outside the ban’s scope. Influencers have begun openly promoting apps like Lemon8 and Coverstar as “safe havens” for under-16 users.
Critics also point out that children can still access social media content without logging in — meaning many of the platform safety tools designed to protect minors no longer apply once they are signed out.
No penalties will be imposed on parents or children who break the rules; only the companies themselves can be fined. The government has given platforms 12 months to refine their age-verification systems, with monthly reporting requirements to the eSafety Commissioner.
Australia’s experiment is being closely watched around the world. Countries including the United Kingdom, France, Spain and several U.S. states are considering similar age-based restrictions, while the European Union is finalising its own strengthened youth-protection rules under the Digital Services Act.
For now, the streets of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are noticeably quieter online. Millions of Australian teenagers have lost direct access to the platforms that defined their social lives — some in tears, others defiant, and many already searching for the next loophole.
Whether the ban ultimately improves mental health and safety, or simply pushes young people into darker, less regulated spaces, remains to be seen. One thing, however, is certain: Australia has just redrawn the boundaries of childhood in the digital age.
