Australia’s Social Media Ban – Key hopes and concerns as we approach the deadline

The social media ban – which will restrict access to platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube for children under 16 – is set to be actioned in Australia on December 10, 2025. 

The Albanese Government passed the Social Media Minimum Age bill, an amendment to the Online Safety Bill late last year. Australia will be the first country to pass these laws, and details of implementation are still being decided. 

The government has made it clear that it is the responsibility of social media companies to restrict users under 16, facing significant fines for non-compliance. So how will this ban affect the public? And how likely is it to achieve its aim of protecting children?

 A survey taken in September 2024 demonstrated the widespread usage of social media by children and young adults. 84% of children aged 8-12 had used social media, of which 40% had their own accounts. The ban is aimed at countering and removing the influence of platforms that rely on predatory models of advertisement and “doomscrolling” to encourage a dependency on the validation that social media can provide.

A study conducted in 2022 found a correlation between social media use and negative mental health symptoms – a result which has been supported by similar studies. Many agree that the undeniably high usage of these apps and devices do have detrimental effects, especially for younger users. The possibly addictive nature of social media makes it difficult to self-regulate, so a ban could potentially protect younger users from being exposed to it at all. NSW Premier Chris Minns voiced his support for the ban.

“Social media is this giant global unregulated experiment on children, and we have to change that.” -Minns

On the other hand, there has been backlash against the ban, suggesting that it may not be effective in practice. 

A common question has been about loopholes and whether children can find ways around the ban. In response to this, the Albanese government claimed that while it will be possible for tech-savvy children, the ban would be worth the risk as it provides legal backing for concerned parents to say ‘no’ to their children when the topic is broached.

The effects of the age restriction will not be limited to children as current users over the age of 16 will still need to verify their age. An age assurance technology trial has been ongoing since early this year and the companies involved in testing have stated that technology will not be a barrier in providing age assurance systems. That being said, concrete results are yet to be released. 

There have also been concerns raised about the extent to which social media companies will be empowered to collect personal information in order to confirm age requirements. Social media companies could be empowered to demand documents such as passports or birth certificates as proof of age, or even use biometrics to confirm their adulthood.

Other concerns have been raised about the impact that the ban will have on LGBTQIA+ youths and their ability to find support. The internet acts as a gathering place for marginalised minorities who often rely on the anonymity that the internet provides to explore themselves and find communities that support them. Removing social media could leave young people with no method of finding information or support – an outcome that would run counter to the Albanese Government’s expressed goal of improving mental health.

The Social Media Minimum Age bill has been passed and will be implemented on December 10.

Sources:

• Australian Government. “Children and Social Media.” ESafety Commissioner. Accessed, August 24, 2025. https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/children-and-social-media
• Bozzola, E., et al. (2022). The Use of Social Media in Children and Adolescents: Scoping Review on the Potential Risks. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(16), 9960. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169960
• Mabaso, W. S., et al. (2024). Exploring the Relationship Between Public Social Media Accounts, Adolescent Mental Health, and Parental Guidance in England: Large Cross-Sectional School Survey Study. Journal of medical Internet research, 26, e57154. https://doi.org/10.2196/57154
• NSW Government. “NSW Government welcomes social media ban for children under 16.” Accessed August 24, 2025. https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/nsw-government-welcomes-social-media-ban-for-children-under-16
• Prime Minister of Australia (2025). Albanese Government protecting kids from social media harms. https://www.pm.gov.au/media/albanese-government-protecting-kids-social-media-harms
• Truu, M. (2025, June 20). Trial finds age assurance can be done, as under-16s social media ban deadline looms. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-20/age-assurance-trial-preliminary-report/105440288
• Poulsen, A., Hickie, I., Hockey, S., Iorfino, F., Lamonica, H. (2025). Queer youth at risk of losing mental health support access in social media ban. InSight Queer youth at risk of losing mental health support access in social media ban | InSight+
• Godsell, O. (2024). More politicians turn against Labor’s under-16 social media ban, expected to pass parliament before end of the week. Sky News Live https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/more-politicians-turn-against-labors-under16-social-media-ban-expected-to-pass-parliament-before-end-of-the-week/news-story/1ce2703b40aa2bb083b5bf260d7b1fc0