Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Starts Dec. 10: How Will It Work?

The move has been applauded and criticised with concerns about children’s mental health to issues of privacy.

This photo taken on Oct. 24, 2025 shows a 14-year-old boy posing at his home near Gosford as he looks at social media on his mobile phone in New South Wales, Australia. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

Australia will introduce the world’s first strict national ban on social media for children under 16 from Dec. 10 amid broader concerns of mental health and cyber harms afflicting the nation’s youth.

Big Tech firms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), TikTok, X, Reddit, Snapchat, Twitch, Kick, Threads, and YouTube are obligated to take “reasonable steps” to stop young people from coming on their platforms, or face penalties of up to $49.5 million.