Australia has taken a historic step in online safety by passing the Online Safety Amendment Bill 2024, which bans the use of social media platforms for children aged below 16. The law, set to come into effect on December 10, makes Australia the first country in the world to legally prohibit minors from accessing mainstream social media networks.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated in an interview that the decision was driven not by the government alone but by the appeals of parents whose children faced severe harm due to online exposure. Under the new legislation, children under 16 will not be permitted to have accounts on platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Threads and X. Only educational and professional websites will remain accessible to minors. Tech companies that fail to enforce the rule may face penalties of up to USD 49.5 million (approximately Rs 4,500 crore).
The bill aims to protect children from risks such as addiction to social media, online harassment, exposure to violent and explicit content, privacy violations and a decline in mental health. Multiple studies cited by the government show rising incidences of anxiety, depression and sleep disorders due to excessive social media use among children.
To implement the ban, social media platforms will introduce multi-layer age verification systems, including date-of-birth checks, facial scan technology, cross-referencing of personal data and real-time tracking of IP addresses and location. Meta has already started freezing Facebook, Instagram and Threads accounts that previously listed an age under 16. Users who have now crossed the age limit can reactivate their accounts only by submitting government-issued identification.
From December 10 onward, creating a new account on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Threads or X in Australia will require uploading a government ID and submitting a selfie-based age confirmation. Some platforms, including Snapchat, have announced that age verification may also be completed through bank accounts or photo ID. Parental permission or self-verification will be mandatory for eligible minors. The government will also take strict action against the use of VPNs to bypass restrictions, and platforms are preparing advanced systems to block VPN access.
Countries such as Denmark, France and New Zealand are closely assessing Australia’s move. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has publicly expressed support for the bill and indicated that similar measures may be considered to protect minors in his country