U.S. News
Australia’s Social Media Ban for Kids Sparks Debate
Clear Facts
- Australia will ban children under 16 from creating accounts on a list of major social media platforms starting December 10.
- The law excludes several messaging and gaming platforms, raising concern about its effectiveness.
- Some tech industry experts and companies have argued the ban creates false security and lacks consistency.
Australia is set to become the first country to enforce a ban preventing children under 16 from signing up on major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The law requires companies to block underage users or face penalties up to $49.5 million.
Jessica Melugin, director at the Center for Technology & Innovation, remarked,
“We haven’t really seen a plan like this be put into action. So I think the world is certainly watching.”
Other platforms included in the restriction are Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, and X. However, popular apps like Discord, Roblox, and Steam are not covered, prompting questions from parents and critics alike.
Melugin said,
“It is a little bit of a red flag. I don’t agree with doing it this way at all, but it does make it harder for the government to make its case when you have gaming apps and AI chatbots exempted. It seems like a strange line to draw.”
The Australian government claims the law is favored by parents and aims to protect children from online risks. Julie Inman, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, explained,
“Delaying children’s access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features such as opaque algorithms and endless scroll… This important normative change will be invaluable to parents and young people alike – creating friction or a check in the online ecosystem that previously did not exist.”
According to a government study, over 70% of Australian children aged 10-15 have encountered harmful content on social media, such as hateful messages and dangerous online challenges.
The law has drawn criticism for leaving out certain gaming and messaging platforms, even as concerns about exploitation on those platforms continue. Roblox, in particular, has been flagged for lacking adequate protections and was recently sued in Texas for related issues.
“We know that when it comes to platforms that are popular with children, they also become popular with adult predators seeking to prey on them. Roblox is no exception and has become a popular target for pedophiles seeking to groom children,” said Julie Inman.
Discord has also faced scrutiny for its vulnerability to criminal elements and exploitation of minors.
Major social media companies have pushed back against the law. A Meta spokesperson stated,
“To comply with Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Law, teens under 16 will begin losing access to Facebook, Instagram, and Threads next month. While we’re committed to meeting our legal obligations, we’ve consistently raised concerns about this law. Experts, youth groups, and many parents agree that blanket bans are not the solution—they isolate teens from online communities and information, while providing inconsistent protection across the many apps they use. There’s a better way: legislation that empowers parents to approve app downloads and verify age allows families—not the government—to decide which apps teens can access.”
Meta maintains that its teen account features give parents control and help safeguard children online.
If you value policies that protect kids while respecting family authority, keep watching as this law rolls out and its effects become clearer.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
