Australia tightens rules: Social media banned for under 16s!

Australia tightens rules: Social media banned for under 16s!

From December 10, 2025, Australia will implement one of the strictest internet laws in the world, severely restricting children under 16 from accessing social media. The major platforms Meta and TikTok have already announced that they will follow this regulation, which is causing a stir in the industry. For this reason, children under the age of nine will be removed from platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to comply with the new legal requirements. This represents a significant challenge for companies, which must now ensure that younger users are identified and deactivated by the set deadline. This exciting development is leading to intense discussions about protecting children online and the responsibilities of companies that provide social media. The Bangkok Post reports that TikTok and Meta emphasize that the implementation of the new regulation involves major technical challenges.

The legislation, pushed by Julie Inman Grant, the Commissioner for eSafety, passed despite criticism from social media companies. They warn that the ban could potentially lead to children being pushed into less regulated areas of the internet, which is a safety concern. NPR highlights that the eSafety Commission, founded in 2015 and unique in the world, carries out a wide range of tasks, including research and prevention in the field of cyberbullying. However, the big question mark remains as to how age verification can be implemented realistically and sustainably.

The challenges of age verification

A central concern of the new law is age verification, a process intended to guarantee that only adults have access to potentially harmful content. However, the entire endeavor could prove difficult as companies will not only have to verify users' ages but also take appropriate steps to identify younger users. Critics complain that many of the existing age verification systems can be easily circumvented and pose data protection risks. IT Media Law describes the practical implementations of age verification, which often require ID uploads or biometric data — procedures that may not be practical for every user.

In Australia, there is no immediate pressure for platforms to immediately delete everyone under 16, but they face the enormous task of how to effectively implement this age verification. The legislation imposes serious fines of up to A$50 million (US$32 million), putting pressure on providers to find efficient solutions. The Minister of Communications also raised the possibility that messenger services and gaming platforms, such as Roblox and Twitch, could also potentially be affected by the new regulations.

The issue of age verification is not just limited to Australia. There are also efforts in the USA to introduce laws to protect children online. This shows that the concept of online security is currently being discussed and examined more than ever. In the words of Julie Inman Grant, the approach to online safety can be compared to swimming education — children should stay in safe areas and learn how to stay safe in the water.