In a global first, Australian senators have approved a law prohibiting children under 16 from creating social media accounts. According to reports, the law is set to take effect in November 2025. Under the law, the legislation introduces some of the world’s strictest controls on social media platforms, which will be required to verify users’ ages or face hefty penalties.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and X could incur fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (£25 million) if they fail to implement robust measures to prevent under-16s from accessing their services.
The new regulations grant social media companies a year to devise and implement age-verification systems before penalties begin.
In September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a trial for age verification technology to address concerns about children’s exposure to harmful content. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, had earlier pushed back on the idea, stating it aimed to provide tools for parents to guide their children rather than cutting off access entirely.
Australia’s House of Representatives is expected to approve Senate amendments, a procedural formality as the government has already pledged support for the legislation.
Meanwhile, the UK is also exploring tighter controls. Science Secretary Peter Kyle recently called on Ofcom to take a stronger stance against harmful content on social media.
“I don’t want to go to things like blanket bans because I want people to benefit from all of the opportunities presented by modern technology,” Kyle told Sky News. “But where there are harms, I will keep everything on the table when it comes to keeping people safe,” he added.
This sweeping Australian legislation marks a bold step in global efforts to regulate social media and protect younger users from potential online risks.
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