Australia banned social media for children under 16 years of age, getting praise from all over the world news

Australia has passed a law to ban children under 16 from having accounts on a number of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and, most recently, YouTube. The law, which takes effect in December 2025, requires platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent minors from creating accounts. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to $49.5 million.
The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has stated that the ban is a world-first move aimed at protecting children from online harms such as cyberbullying, exposure to explicit content, and mental health issues associated with excessive social media use. The decision to include YouTube in the ban came after the country’s internet regulator cited research showing that a significant percentage of minors had encountered harmful content on the platform.
While the government has received public support for the ban, the move has also been met with some criticism and challenges. YouTube, which had initially been granted an exemption, has expressed its disagreement, arguing that it is a video-sharing platform and not a social media service. There are also questions about how the ban will be enforced and what exactly constitutes “reasonable steps” for platforms to verify a user’s age. Some critics also argue that the ban may not be effective and that young people will find ways to circumvent the restrictions.
Despite these challenges, Australia is positioning itself as a global leader in digital safety for children, with the Prime Minister indicating that the country will campaign for international support for similar measures at a United Nations forum.