Social Media Banned in Land Down Under
- John Wielechowski
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A little over a year ago, Australia passed a new law titled the Online Safety Amendment Bill, and only recently it came into full effect for the country on December 10, 2025. This new piece of legislation requires a minimum age of 16 years old on most social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, X, and TikTok.
Once passed, social media platforms were required to ask for photo or video evidence of proof of a user’s age or Australian citizens could simply provide their official issued ID to create or maintain their social media account. However, children and parents are not punished for disobeying this new ban. According to BBC News, the social media platforms will be punished for not enforcing the ban, and they can face fines up to $49.5 million if they repeatedly fail to restrict under-age users.
The Australian government’s reason for passing this law is that they believe the mental health and well-being of children is in danger through the use of social media. Applications can allow for risks such as cyberbullying and harmful content that negatively impact the developing minds of young children.
Controversy surrounding the new piece of legislation was almost immediate after it was implemented in Australia. Many questions arose, including what would happen if adults were falsely banned or how social media platforms will catch false accounts made by teens.
In addition, data protection was another significant issue that arose for many users in the country. As the social media companies secured their platforms and verified ages of users, there was a major concern regarding invasion of privacy. However, the Australian government made sure to address this issue and promised that their new legislation institutes very strong protective measures to insure the safety of data and personal information.
Bo Bateman, a junior at Charlotte Catholic, opined on Australia’s new law stating, “I understand why they are implementing this new law as I agree it is important for children’s minds to develop properly.” However, Bo believes that the decision to ban children aged 16 years old and younger will have consequences.
He mentioned that there are many important benefits from social media that the Australian children will miss out on. Most importantly, Bo mentioned, “They will miss out on hours of entertainment and long distance relationships they can have with their friends through the use of apps like Snapchat and Instagram.”
Australia is only the first to begin implementing restrictions regarding social media. More and more countries are beginning to introduce their own legislation regarding the correct age to begin utilizing social media. Even in the US, states like Florida, New York, and California have either placed restrictions on social media use or taken efforts to ensure a warning is given before young teens create social media accounts.
