Australia's world-first social media ban is just days away, but questions are swirling about which apps are affected and whether the rollout will go ahead as planned.
The new laws, which take effect on December 10, 2025, will require major platforms to block or deactivate all accounts held by users under 16. They must also prevent new underage signups and take "reasonable steps" to enforce the rule, or face fines of up to AU$49.5 million (US$32.8 million).
What is Australia's social media ban?
From December 10, social media companies will be legally required to deactivate or block all accounts belonging to under-16s in Australia. Users who are underage will also be prevented from creating new accounts until they turn 16.
Platforms that fail to take "reasonable steps" to comply face steep penalties (up to AU$49.5 million) from Australia's eSafety Commissioner.
The following platforms are included under the initial ban:
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- X (Twitter)
- YouTube
- Twitch
- Kick
- Threads
This list is not final: other apps may be added later, particularly if teens flock to alternative platforms like Lemon8 or Discord, which are currently exempt.
Age verification methods vary by platform. Some, like Snapchat, plan to use behavioral signals and birth dates.
Others, like TikTok and Kick, say they'll implement layered systems involving facial age estimation, credit card verification, or human moderation.
Meta has declined to share specifics, citing the risk of users trying to circumvent age verification, for example via the use of VPNs.
Has Australia's social media ban been delayed?
No, the ban is still moving ahead on December 10.
While a parliamentary committee recently recommended a six-month delay, and an ongoing High Court challenge has raised free speech concerns, the government has not shifted its position. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland have both reaffirmed their support.
In fact, several major platforms have already started compliance measures. Meta (Facebook and Instagram) has begun locking underage users out. TikTok, YouTube, Kick, Twitch, and Snapchat have all said they will comply with the new rules. X and Reddit have not yet commented publicly, however.
That said, officials have acknowledged that full enforcement will take time. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant warned that underage accounts won't vanish overnight and that rollout will be staggered, focusing on platforms with the largest share of teen users first.
"We do not anticipate that all the under-16 accounts will automatically or magically disappear on December 10 overnight," she said.
So while enforcement may be slow and patchy, the ban is very much going ahead, and Australia is now the first country in the world to implement a nationwide age-based social media restriction.
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