Australia Sets a New Precedent with World-First Social Media Ban for Under-16s, And We Have Some Thoughts

Australia has taken a bold step by becoming the first country to ban social media accounts for children under 16. This landmark decision, effective from December 10, 2025, requires 10 major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick) to verify and remove underage users or face hefty fines.

The move has sparked intense discussion among parents, child advocates, technology companies, and free speech supporters. We have some thoughts about ittoo, based on our 15 years of experience working directly with youth the same age as those who will be impacted by this ban.

Australia's social media ban targets under-16 users to protect children online

But First, A Little Background on this Social Media Ban

The new law requires ten designated major social media platforms to take “reasonable steps” to ensure children under 16 cannot hold accounts. If companies fail to comply, they can face fines of up to A$49.5 million( about US$33 million).

Key points of the ban include:

• Age verification requirements for users attempting to access these platforms as account-holders.

• Blocking mechanisms to prevent under-16s from creating new accounts and to remove existing accounts held by under-16s.

• The law applies to both domestic and international companies operating in Australia.

• There are no penalties for children or parents who try to circumvent the rules; the responsibility and penalties rest with the platforms.

  
  

Importantly, in many cases kids may still be able to view some content (for example, watching videos on YouTube without an account), but they are not supposed to be able to have accounts, post, comment, or message on these platforms.

Why Australia Took This Step

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the ban as one of the country’s biggest social and cultural changes, emphasizing that policymakers can and should act to reduce online harms that have outpaced traditional protections.

The government’s stated concerns include:

• Exposure to inappropriate or harmful content

• Cyberbullying and online harassment

• Negative impacts on mental health, especially among young teens

• The addictive, persuasive design of social media platforms

  
  

Albanese has encouraged children to use their time differently—playing sports, learning an instrument, reading—rather than spending hours scrolling. This message aligns with a broader goal of promoting healthier childhood development away from constant screens.

Our Thoughts About This Ban

While many view this ban as a bold, maybe even overdue, solution to a problem that has vexed adults for years, we see it more as a band-aid, not a complete solution.

No matter how adults feel about social media, a ban will not make it disappear. Kids who are determined to use social media (remember any place where people connect online is considered "social media") will look for workarounds (they always do) and other spaces to connect.

We wish that the same time, energy, publicity, and money that went into this, and all tech bans for that matter, had instead been invested in preparing young people to use technology wisely (both today’s social media and tomorrow's AI).

And what's the best way to prepare kids?

Through digital literacy education.

The Pros and Cons

Sure, there are some pros to this ban, but in our view the cons outweigh them.

The pros:

• It takes the pressure off parents feeling like they are the only ones keeping their kids off social media. Now, there is a clear social norm and a legal backstop.

• It makes developmental sense: roughly ages 10–15 are a critical window for emotional learning, self-worth, and impulse control. For many kids, social media is simply too much to manage well at this stage.

• It sends a strong public message to social media platforms that child wellbeing must be taken seriously.

  
  

The cons:

• The list of platforms overlooked by this ban is long: WhatsApp, Discord, Roblox, YouTube Kids, Pinterest, and many more. Kids will still be "social" in these spaces.

• Kids are experts at getting around rules—especially when adults suddenly take away something they have grown to love.

• It may push social media use toward less-regulated or lesser-known sites that many parents have never heard of and that may have fewer guardrails.

• Some young people (LGBTQ+ youth, kids in marginalized communities, or those who feel isolated at school) find support and community online. A blanket ban, without alternatives, can cut off those lifelines. 

• Laws create a false sense of security. Once a law passes, it’s tempting to assume the problem is “fixed,” even when underlying issues (design, algorithms, mental health supports, etc.) remain.

• It risks letting social media platforms off the hook. Instead of just banning kids, we should be pressuring companies to address harmful design practices, improve age verification, limit data collection, and build in child-centered protections by default.

A Better Way

We believe kids deserve a seat at the table in conversations about bans and their use of technology. In our experience, when young people are taught why they should limit their social media use—and how these tools actually work—they are far more likely to become proactive managers of their time online, not just passive rule-followers (or rule-breakers).

A strong, developmentally appropriate digital literacy curriculum should prepare kids for all the online dangers adults worry about, including:

• Attention-grabbing algorithms and other persuasive technologies

• Impact on sleep and overall mental health

• Comparison culture and body image (especially for girls)

• Rabbit holes and filter bubbles

• Algorithmic amplification of inflammatory or extreme content

• Algorithmic bias and fairness

• Social dynamics: bullying, exclusion, and the pressure of constant “performance”

• Privacy, surveillance, and data collection

• Digital reputation and the long-term consequences of what they post

• Sexting, sextortion, revenge porn, nudification apps.

  
  

And so much more.

When these topics are taught early and often, students start to connect their online choices with real-world consequences—for themselves and others.

What This Ban Means for the Future

Australia’s decision to block social media accounts for children under 16 is a significant moment in the global effort to create safer online environments. Other nations are already watching closely and considering similar measures as they try to balance the benefits of technology with its risks.

We applaud the fact that this law represents a clear statement: protecting young people online is a priority.

However, we stand firm in our view that we cannot regulate our way out of this without education.

No age limit will ever be perfect. No ban will cover every app, every platform, or every situation. Kids need explicit, developmentally appropriate digital literacy education—about social media, about AI, and about the business models and algorithms that shape their online lives.

Period. Full stop.