Australia has imposed a nationwide ban on social media for children under the age of 16, aimed at protecting the mental health of young people. The law mandates age verification, imposes heavy fines for non-compliance, and provides platforms such as Facebook and Instagram with a one-year implementation period to adapt.
Australia has made history by becoming the first country to impose a nationwide ban on social media platforms for children under the age of 16. This landmark law passed by the Australian Parliament seeks to protect the mental health and well-being of young people from the potential harm of excessive online activity. The Senate passed the bill by 34 votes to 19 on November 28. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved the law by an overwhelming majority of 102 votes to 13.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law supports parents concerned about the harm to their children online. “Platforms now have a social responsibility to make sure that the safety of our children is a priority for them,” Albanese told reporters.
Key provisions of Australia’s social media law:
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Age verification:
Social media platforms will be responsible for preventing underage users from accessing their services.
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Strict penalties:
Companies that fail to comply with age verification requirements could face hefty fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars.
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Exemptions:
Messaging apps, online gaming platforms and educational services will be exempt from the ban.
Facebook, Tiktok and others raise implementation concerns
There are no penalties for young people or parents who violate the rules. Social media companies will not be able to force users to provide government identification, including digital IDs, to assess their age.
Social media platforms have a year to work out how to implement the ban. Meta Platform, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the law was “rushed.” The platforms had complained that the law would be unenforceable. Meta had urged the Senate to delay the vote until at least June 2025, when a government-commissioned assessment of age assurance technologies will report on how young children may be excluded.
“Naturally, we respect the laws set by the Australian Parliament,” said Meta Platform, which owns Facebook and Instagram. “However, we are concerned about the process that passed the law without properly considering the evidence, what the industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people.”
Snapchat said in a statement, “While there are many unanswered questions about how this law will be implemented in practice, we will work closely with the government and the eSafety Commissioner during the 12-month implementation period to help develop an approach that balances privacy, security and practicality. As always, Snap will comply with any legislation and regulation that comes into force in Australia.”
