Tech Desk 
Dec 09, 2025
Australia is set to enforce its long-awaited social media ban for children under 16, with the law coming into effect at midnight on Wednesday.
The move compels major platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and others,s to block millions of young users, marking one of the most aggressive child-safety policies introduced anywhere in the world.
The enforcement will be overseen by Australia's eSafety Commissioner. More than 10 platforms will need to block access for teens under 16 or face penalties of up to $49.5 million. Over 3 million accounts across the country could be affected.
Child-safety advocates and parent groups praise the law as a much-needed response to growing concerns about online harm, the risk of mental health issues, and unsafe content exposure.
Internet Studies at Curtin University Professor Tama Leaver said Australia's action will have an impact on other governments' decisions.
"While Australia is the first to adopt such restrictions, it is unlikely to be the last," he said. He added that the decision has become a "canary in the coal mine" regarding global tech regulation.
A British government spokesperson declared that the UK is "closely assessing Australia’s approach," adding that "when it comes to children's safety, nothing is off the table."
For now, the ban targets the major platforms: Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, among others. The list is set to expand. The only large platform resisting the imposition of these new age estimation and ID-verification requirements is Elon Musk's X.
Musk says the policy is "a backdoor way to control access to the internet," and a legal challenge in the Australian High Court is pending.
The regulation also raises concerns for businesses reliant on social media engagement, as experts warn it may bring in a "new era of structural stagnation" on the back of sliding user numbers.
University of Sydney's Centre for AI, Trust and Governance Co-Director Terry Flew said the era of "unbridled self-expression" on social platforms may be ending.
Several countries, including the UK, China, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Germany, Malaysia, and the U.S., have already moved to explore tighter rules around teens' online access-a suggestion that Australia's action might accelerate global policymaking in this area.
