Australia has become the first country in the world to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, as sweeping new legislation came into effect at midnight.
The law applies to platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitch and Kick, with companies facing fines of up to A$49.5m (£25m) if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage access.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the rollout with a video message urging young people to embrace the upcoming summer holidays offline by learning new skills, reading books, or spending more time face-to-face with friends and family.
He said the law was designed to “have parents’ backs” at a time when online harm among teenagers has become a national concern.
The BBC reports that the move, which enjoys bipartisan political backing, follows months of debate over whether banning children from major platforms is the best way to curb bullying, harmful content and digital addiction. It comes after a government-commissioned trial concluded that age-verification technology could reliably enforce the restriction.
Within hours of the ban taking effect, it was already facing scrutiny in Australia’s High Court. Two 15-year-olds, supported by the Digital Freedom Project, have filed a legal challenge arguing that the legislation violates their right to communicate freely.
The advocacy group warned that vulnerable young people, including those with disabilities, indigenous children, LGBTQ+ teenagers, and those in rural communities, risk becoming further isolated.
For Melbourne teenager Ezra Sholl, who is quadriplegic, social media provides a lifeline to community and connection.
“Banning social media will make my world smaller,” he said, arguing the government should compel companies to fix harmful algorithms rather than remove young people from mainstream platforms altogether.
Similar concerns were raised by 12-year-old Paloma from Sydney, who said the ban cuts her off from creative communities and friendships built on Snapchat and TikTok.
“The government is taking away a part of ourselves,” she said.
Despite the backlash, some parents and safety advocates say the ban is long overdue. Emma Mason, whose 15-year-old daughter Tilly died by suicide after online bullying, described the law as “protection” rather than “control”.
She welcomed the government’s readiness to withstand pressure from tech giants, noting that early opposition from companies such as Meta and X failed to sway lawmakers.
Others argue the move may reduce exposure to misogynistic, violent or addictive content often pushed to teenagers through algorithms. Canberra-based 14-year-old Emily said the ban could help prevent bullying and give young people a healthier balance. “Social media is dangerous and addictive,” she said.
Australia’s legislation has drawn international attention, prompting questions about whether other nations might follow suit.
In the UK, however, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said there were “no current plans” to pursue a similar ban, emphasising instead the strict measures within the UK’s Online Safety Act which focus on shielding children from harmful content without cutting them off from online services entirely.
Elsewhere, countries including France, Denmark, Spain and Malaysia are exploring new age thresholds or parental-consent requirements, though none have implemented a blanket ban as comprehensive as Australia’s.
