Australia Implements World-First Social Media Ban for Children

Wed Dec 10 2025 13:48:54 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

With a groundbreaking move, Australia has banned social media use for kids under 16, sparking a mix of excitement, concern, and resistance among teens and parents alike.

Australia has enacted a pioneering law prohibiting children under 16 from using social media platforms. This law, supported by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, aims to protect children from harmful content but faces criticism for its practical implications and potential to alienate youth. While some teens have already begun to circumvent the restrictions, parents largely support the ban, hoping it will help reduce cyberbullying and child exploitation, despite concerns about its impact on social connections.

Australia's world-first social media ban for children has taken effect, with throngs of teenagers waking up to find their accounts have gone dark.

Others tell BBC they have already snuck past barriers and will continue scrolling and posting freely until they are caught.

The new law means social media firms - including Meta, TikTok and YouTube - must take reasonable steps to ensure Australians aged under 16 don't hold accounts on their platforms.

The ban, eyed with excitement by global leaders and trepidation by tech companies, was justified as necessary to protect children from harmful content and algorithms - though critics have argued blanket prohibition is neither practical nor wise.

This landmark policy has been one of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's pet projects, and speaking to media on Wednesday he said he believed it has the power to change lives around the world.

This is a day in which my pride to be prime minister of Australia has never been greater, he said, flanked by parents and media figures who had pushed for the ban.

Various governments, from the US state of Florida to the European Union, have been experimenting with limiting children's use of social media. But, along with a higher age limit of 16, Australia is the first jurisdiction to deny an exemption for parental approval in a policy like this - making its laws the world's strictest.

Countries like Denmark, Malaysia, Singapore, Greece and Brazil are among those who have said they're looking at Australia as a test case.

Polling shows the ban is wildly popular with parents, who hope it will also help reduce cyber bullying and child exploitation. But it is far less popular with children.

Backed by some mental health advocates, many have argued it robs young people of connection - particularly those from LGBTQ+, neurodivergent or rural communities - and will leave them less equipped to tackle the realities of life on the web.

Tech firms, which are desperate to stop other countries from implementing similar bans, have argued the government is overreaching, and pointed to recently strengthened parental controls on many of their platforms as a solution.

Despite the challenges, Australian officials remain resolute that success is not just in compliance, but in fostering a discussion around social media's role in youth lives.