Australia Has Banned Social Media for Kids Under 16. How Does It Work?

Young teenagers in Australia have been barred from social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in one of the toughest crackdowns on digital platforms in the democratic world.

The new legislation, passed by parliament in 2024 and enforced from Dec. 10, aims to protect children from harmful content, bullying, grooming and sexual extortion, as well as youth suicides linked to online abuse. Kids, said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, “should be playing outside, trying different sports, discovering music and art, or splashing around in the pool.”