The Australian government has introduced a bill aiming at banning social media for children under 16. Violating the rule would lead to huge fines of up to $49.5 million by the platform. If any systematic non-compliance is found, it can lead to consequences.
The proposed legislation includes the implementation of an age verification system. The system may rely on biometrics or government-issued IDS. It is considered one of the strictest social media regulations in the world. Unlike those in other countries, the bill does not allow exceptions for parental consent.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the broader intent of the law. He stated, “This is a landmark reform. While some workarounds are inevitable, it sends a clear message to social media companies to clean up their platforms.”
The bill has support from the Liberal Party, though independent lawmakers and the Green Party have requested more specifics. Companies like Meta (Instagram, Facebook), Bytedance (TikTok), Elon Musk’s X, and Snapchat would be directly impacted.
Despite the restrictions, essential services like Headspace (mental health support), Google Classroom, and YouTube would remain accessible to the age group. The government underscored concerns about the physical and psychological health risks of social media, especially, regarding body image issues for girls and exposure to misogynistic content aimed at boys.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland stressed the urgency, citing research showing nearly two-thirds of 14–17-year-olds in Australia have encountered harmful online content, such as drug abuse and self-harm.
The law would shift responsibility for age-verification compliance to social media platforms, ensuring strong privacy measures by mandating the destruction of collected data. “Social media has a responsibility to protect users, and we are holding platforms accountable,” Rowland said.
