Australia’s Social Media Ban for Minors is In Effect

Charley Locke reports in Wired that Australia’s new social media ban for minors, which includes an age restriction on accounts for users under the age of sixteen, will take effect on December 10. This has created operational and regulatory challenges for major platforms, as well as immediate personal consequences for young content creators.

The prohibition has caused considerable uncertainty for minors who depend on social media for communication, creative expression, and even employment. The article features an interview with a 16-year-old with 37,000 Instagram followers who shares product reviews and photos from her modeling and acting jobs.

The effort to regulate adolescent engagement online has become a focal point for debates regarding digital participation, commercial activity by minors, and the feasibility of large-scale age-verification regimes. The regulatory framework stems from the Social Media Minimum Age Bill, enacted in December 2024, which imposes penalties on platforms that permit access by individuals below the statutory minimum age.

Public concern about adolescent exposure to online risks informed the legislation. Tech companies responded by locking accounts and implementing verification mechanisms, in some cases before the deadline. Teen influencers with parental account managers have sought to preserve their professional profiles, anticipating a decline in reach once younger audiences lose access.

Young creators interviewed in the article describe a mix of apprehension and adaptation as the effective date approached. Some have modified account structures to include adult oversight, while others have organized public petitions seeking to reduce the age limit.

Several creators report financial effects tied to reduced engagement, though the figures mentioned remain modest. Many more assert that online interaction is central to their social lives, and express concern about losing daily communication channels.

Survey data referenced in the article indicate that most minors doubt the measure’s effectiveness, expecting circumvention through the use of falsified age information and alternative applications.

Lawyers in the US may monitor the Australian social media ban for minors to assess issues such as platform enforcement exposure and parental management arrangements, particularly if protections for minors take precedence over technology concerns in the country.