Australia bans social media for children under 16

Australia has passed a law on Nov. 28 to ban children under 16 from social media.

According to Australia news outlet ABC News, children and teenagers will be banned from using social media platforms from end-2025.

The move is meant to protect the mental health and wellbeing of those under 16.

Age-verification trials will also be carried out and reviewed by mid-2025, reported Reuters.

No penalties for young users who ignore laws, but companies could be fined

The social media bill was passed with bipartisan support after a heated debate in the parliament.

It is the world's first such legislation, and will block young users from accessing platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook.

The government said the ban is necessary to protect the mental health and wellbeing of such users.

Those under 16 and their parents may not face penalties for ignoring the rules when they come into force, but, social media companies are obligated to take "reasonable steps" to prevent banned users from their platforms and may be fined up to AUD 50 million (S$43 million) if they fail to do so.

Companies are also not allowed to collect identification details from users to confirm their age, reported ABC News.

The ban excludes other platforms, such as messaging apps, online gaming services, and sites which do not require user log-ins like YouTube.

Age-verification trial to be carried out, social media companies complain

According to Reuters, the Australian government may trial a system to verify the age of users, which will then be reviewed by mid-2025.

The trial may include biometrics or government identification as part of the government's enforcement efforts, and will run for a few months.

Tech companies such as Alphabet's Google and Meta have previously argued that the ban should be postponed until the trial is completed, while Bytedance's TikTok noted that it "needed more consultation".

X's CEO, Elon Musk, has also said that the move seemed like "a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians".

Top photos via Canva