by By Aliah John
The state of the social media world is one that is constantly changing. Trends rise and fall almost daily, and it feels as though a different app is constantly dominating the digital space. Through it all, one thing that most can agree upon however, is the detrimental impacts of social media on young adolescents.
The Australian Government has found their solution to combatting this in the form of a nationwide social media ban for users under 16 years. As of December 10, 2025, children and teens under the age of 16 will no longer have access to many of their social media accounts, and new accounts made must be under the ownership of a user that is of age. The act, introduced back in November of 2024, attempts to avoid placing blame on these young teens and families by penalizing social media sites that fail to comply, rather than users. Companies that will be subject to these fines (supposedly up to $50 million) include Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat, Youtube, Twitch, Reddit and Kick.
The Online Safety Amendment Bill, as it is titled, has been generating significant controversy as it approaches its implementation date.
While many praise the Australian Government for its attempts to reduce negative effects on mental health, cyber bullying, and unregulated social media use, some argue that it shouldn’t be their decision to make, or that it may do more harm than good.
The issue of social media is being treated as a public one in Australia, but many families believe it should be up to parents and their kids to regulate what they have access to. The argument that the act is an infringement upon individual privacy and oversteps the government’s reach has been made. However the greater concern for many, is the potential safety risk. In banning many young users’ main forms of communication, there is concern that children and teens will turn to platforms that are potentially more dangerous. Talk of youth on the dark web or (slightly less extreme, just platforms that are highly unregulated) creates concern among parents and educators.
Organizations such as UNICEF Australia argue that taking away these avenues of connection that so many maintain relationships through, will only contribute to a culture of isolation online. Many young people who have previously struggled to find connection in their physical communities or have experienced forms of bullying or separatedness from their peers, tend to turn to online platforms for connection. In some cases this is dangerous, in some cases is it the main source of joy and belonging for youth.
The specifics of this particular ban are under discussion and subject to change as Australian Government agencies see fit.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258975002500024X
Hey! Great post.
I really like how you brought up the discourse between what’s the responsibility of parents, government and social media. I think banning social media based on age isn’t exactly the best way to do this: kids are going to figure out ways to bypass it. There should absolutely be more parental controls and safeguards in place on social media, and I think that’s a huge opportunity for companies going forward!
Wow! This was a really fun read for me, I think that this topic is very interesting and there definitely and argument on either side. My favorite thing to learn about is that users will not be fined, but the companies who are allowing them to. However, I wonder if there is protocol for those who lie about their age or if they have to enter their ID information to be confirmed to join the app.
Hey Aliah,
I really like this post. I think above all else parents are responsible for their kids activity on social media, and getting them to implement restrictions is going to be more effective than the social media accounts implementing these restrictions.
Hey Aliah,
This is a great post. I believe above all else it is important that parents decide the appropriate restrictions for their kids and overall families. This method will always be more effective than the governemnt or different social media companies trying to restrict these things in one big swoop.