Australia enforces world’s first social media ban for under-16s

Australia on Wednesday became the first country to bar children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, ushering in one of the most sweeping online safety measures introduced anywhere in the world.

Under the new law, ten platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, were ordered to block access for users below the age threshold or face penalties of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million). The rules require companies to deactivate existing underage accounts and prevent new sign-ups, using tools such as age-estimation technology, behavioural analysis or identification checks.

The legislation has been welcomed by many parents and child-safety advocates, who argue that platforms have failed to curb bullying, harmful content and excessive screen use among young teenagers. But tech companies and free-speech groups have criticised the law as overly broad, warning it could push young users to unsupervised corners of the internet and raise privacy concerns around facial scans and data collection.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the rollout as “a proud day” for Australian families, calling the measure one of the country’s most significant cultural shifts in decades. “This will make an enormous difference,” he told reporters. “It is a profound reform that will continue to reverberate around the world.” In a video message directed at young people ahead of the upcoming school break, Albanese encouraged them to “start a new sport, new instrument, or read that book that has been sitting there for some time on your shelf.”

X, owned by Elon Musk, was the final major platform to comply. After initially resisting the mandate, the company confirmed on Wednesday that it would disable underage accounts. “It’s not our choice,  it’s what the Australian law requires,” X said in a statement. “X automatically offboards anyone who does not meet our age requirements.”

The ban concludes more than a year of debate over whether governments can realistically restrict teen access to platforms deeply embedded in daily life. Several countries — including Denmark, New Zealand and Malaysia, have signalled interest in similar frameworks, making Australia an early test case for how far policymakers can push age verification without stifling digital participation or innovation.

Officials say the list of regulated platforms will be updated as new services emerge and youth behaviour shifts. Companies have told the government they will rely on a combination of age-inference models, selfie-based age estimates and, in some cases, documentation or linked financial accounts to verify users.