Under-16s in Australia are now banned from using major social media services including Tiktok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Threads.
They cannot set up new accounts and existing profiles are being deactivated.
The ban is the first of its kind and is being watched closely by other countries.
Why is the Australian government banning social media for under-16s?
The government says it will reduce the negative impact of social media’s “design features that encourage [young people] to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing”.
A study it commissioned earlier in 2025 found that 96% of children aged 10-15 used social media, and that seven out of 10 of them had been exposed to harmful content. This included misogynistic and violent material as well as content promoting eating disorders and suicide.
One in seven also reported experiencing grooming-type behaviour from adults or older children, and more than half said they had been the victim of cyberbullying.
Which social media platforms are covered by the Australian ban?
Ten platforms are currently included: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.
The government assesses potential sites against three main criteria:
whether the platform’s sole or “significant purpose” is to enable online social interaction between two or more users;whether it allows users to interact with some or all other users; and whether it allows users to post materialYouTube Kids, Google Classroom and WhatsApp are not covered as they are not deemed to meet those criteria.
Under-16s will also still be available to view most content on online platforms which do not require an account.
Critics have called on the government to extend the ban to cover online gaming sites like Roblox and Discord, which are not currently included.
In November, Roblox said it would introduce age checks on some features.
Watch: Australia’s social media ban explained… in 60 seconds
How will the Australian ban be enforced?
Children and parents will not be punished for infringing the ban.
Instead, social media companies face fines of up to A$49.5m (US$32m, £25m) for serious or repeated breaches.
The government says firms must take “reasonable steps” to keep kids off their platforms, and should use multiple age assurance technologies.
These could include government IDs, face or voice recognition, or so-called “age inference”, which analyses online behaviour and interactions to estimate a person’s age.
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