Australia bans social media for children under 16

Australia is banning social media for teens under 16 years.

The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, announced that Australia will ban social media use for children under 16 to ensure their safety online.

The new regulation described as part of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 will come into effect on 10 December 2025.

The government said the law is designed to protect children from online dangers, including cyberbullying, harmful content, and the addictive nature of social media algorithms.

The legislation will make it illegal for minors under 16 to create or maintain accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, and Kick.

Albanese in a post on X on Monday insisted that the government is banning social media to protect minors.

He wrote wrote: “We’re banning social media for under-16s to keep them safe online.”