Overview
- The nationwide prohibition for under-16s has been in force since December 10, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling it one of the most significant recent social changes.
- Platforms report stepped-up enforcement, with roughly 200,000 TikTok accounts deactivated on the first day of the ban.
- Surveys in Australia indicate broad parental backing, even as teenagers describe using VPNs and other methods to bypass restrictions.
- Policymakers abroad are watching closely, with Malaysia announcing a 2026 under-16 ban and Denmark planning tight limits that allow parental opt-in from age 13, while several U.S. states already require parental consent.
- The policy cites research linking early smartphone and social-media use to poorer sleep and mental-health outcomes, after an estimated 85% of Australians aged 8–15 used at least one platform before the ban.