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

Australia has enforced the world's first ban on the use of social media for anyone under the age of 16, cutting off millions of children and teenagers from their accounts.

From Wednesday, major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and TikTok, are required to start removing accounts belonging to underage users in Australia and stop new sign-ups from those below the age limit.

Companies that fail to enforce the restriction face penalties that could reach $49.5m.

Early reports suggest the rollout has not been entirely smooth. Some families told local media that children under 16 are still able to pass facial age-checking tools, though officials have said they never expected the system to work flawlessly immediately.

Every platform, except X, has confirmed that it would follow the new rule. The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said the regulator had spoken with X about its obligations, though the company had not yet advised users of any policy changes.

Bluesky, a smaller rival to X, also announced that it would block under-16 users despite being classed as “low risk” due to its relatively small Australian audience.

In recent weeks, children have been completing age checks, changing phone numbers, and preparing for account shutdowns. K-ID, an age-assurance service used by Snapchat, said it had processed hundreds of thousands of verifications. Some parents expressed concern, with one saying their 15-year-old was upset after friends were incorrectly verified as adults and could continue using the platform while she could not.