Australia’s World First Social-Media Ban Begins

The world's first social media ban for children under 16 has been passed by Australia, resulting in millions of children and teenagers losing access to their accounts.

As of Wednesday, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and TikTok are expected to be removing accounts held by Australians under 16 years of age, and preventing them from signing up for new ones.

Fines of up to $49.5 million can be imposed on platforms that fail to comply.

There have been some teething problems with the implementation of the ban. A number of reports indicate that those under 16 have passed the facial age assurance tests, but the government has said it is not expecting the ban to be perfect on day one.

As of Tuesday, all platforms except X had confirmed compliance with the ban. The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said X had recently discussed how it would comply, but it had not shared its policies with its customers.

The law has faced criticism from major technology companies and free speech advocates, while receiving praise from parents and child advocates.

The Australian government argues that unprecedented measures are necessary to protect children from “predatory algorithms” that bombard phone screens with content related to bullying, sex, and violence.

“Too often, social media isn’t social at all,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated ahead of the ban. “Instead, it’s used as a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers, and, worst of all, a tool for online predators.”

Other countries are closely observing this development, with some already considering implementing similar measures, including Denmark, Malaysia, and several U.S. states.

According to an article from businesstech.co.za, digital law expert Emma Sadleir mentioned that banning teens from social media is feasible in South Africa, as her company is drafting a bill. However, she acknowledged that enforcement would be the biggest challenge. Sadleir pointed to France, which is also tightening its rules. “They’re considering digital curfews for teenagers—no social media between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. They’re also banning phones in schools and even proposing a new crime of ‘digital negligence’ for parents who allow their children to be raised by their devices. I think that’s brilliant,” she added.