Australia will enforce a new law on December 10 requiring major social media platforms to block users under 16. The government added Reddit and livestreaming service Kick to the list of restricted platforms. They now join Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube under the same rule.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said companies that fail to remove underage users could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (€28.3 million). “We’ve met with several platforms to ensure they understand this law leaves no room for excuses,” Wells told reporters in Canberra.
She criticized tech companies for using algorithms to manipulate children while failing to protect them. “If they can target children with precision, they can also use that same technology to keep them safe,” she added.
New Enforcement Powers and Research Goals
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant will oversee enforcement of the new law. She said the list of restricted platforms would evolve as new technologies emerge. The government stated that each restricted platform’s “sole or significant purpose” involves enabling online social interaction.
Inman Grant said she plans to work with academics to assess the law’s effects. “We’ll measure whether children sleep more, interact better, or become more physically active,” she explained. “We’ll also monitor for unintended outcomes and collect data so others can learn from our approach.”
The policy represents a global first, with other nations watching closely.
Global Praise and Domestic Opposition
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Australia’s “common sense” move during a United Nations forum in New York, calling it an example for others. Denmark’s Ambassador to Australia, Ingrid Dahl-Madsen, also said her government would study the policy as it develops similar protections for children.
Critics, however, warn the age ban could threaten privacy for all users by forcing everyone to verify their age. More than 140 academics in Australia and abroad signed an open letter opposing the law, calling it “too blunt an instrument” to manage online risks effectively.
Minister Wells assured the public that the government will keep user data “as private as possible.” Despite criticism, she insisted the ban is necessary to curb the growing influence of social media on children and restore parental trust in online safety measures.
