What We Can Learn From Australia's Social Media Ban For Kids Under 16

Australia has introduced the world's first ban preventing children and teenagers under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms. As the law came into force, millions of young users across the country were abruptly cut off from their accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, Snapchat, Kick, Twitch, TikTok, Reddit and YouTube.

For the first time, these platforms are legally required to keep minors out or face enormous penalties. The government’s argument is straightforward: social media exposes young people to harmful content, addictive algorithms, cyberbullying, and the existing self-regulation by tech companies has failed to keep children safe. 

A Heavy Compliance Burden on Tech Companies

Parents and children are not penalised for attempting to bypass the ban. Instead, full responsibility falls on the companies themselves.

Each platform must verify the age of its users and prevent anyone under 16 from maintaining an account. Failure to comply could cost them up to A$49.5 million (US$32m, £25m) in fines. Age-verification technologies are now becoming mandatory. 

Platforms must redesign onboarding processes, tighten identification systems and detect underage usage patterns at scale.

The policy also quietly shifts responsibility away from parents, schools, and the state itself. Instead of investing heavily in digital education, mental-health infrastructure,  and algorithmic transparency, Australia has chosen prohibition.

History shows this approach rarely works. We’ve seen it with alcohol, drugs, and censorship; banning access doesn’t eliminate behaviour, it just pushes it underground.

How Success Will Be Measured Remains Unclear

The government has offered few details about how it will evaluate whether the ban is working. Metrics like reduced cyberbullying, improved mental health reports or decreased exposure to harmful content and safer online spaces are hard to track accurately, especially if under-16s simply slip into alternative digital spaces.

Yet the rest of the world is watching carefully. If Australia demonstrates measurable improvements, expect other governments to follow. If the policy shows cracks, it may instead become a cautionary tale about regulatory overreach.

Teens Themselves Are Split

Young Australians are not speaking with one voice. BBC News reports that some teenagers say they feel “insulted,” arguing the ban treats them like children incapable of navigating the online world responsibly. Others shrug, saying they’ll “quickly get over it” and find alternative ways to communicate.

The government says the ban is aimed at protecting young people from harmful content, but critics suggest it could isolate vulnerable teenagers and push children into unregulated corners of the internet.

Views expressed by the author are their own.