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yesterday

Australia’s Under‑16 Social Media Ban Takes Effect Wednesday as Platforms Move to Comply

The government says the measure will curb harmful content by forcing platforms to verify ages under threat of multimillion‑dollar penalties.

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Eine Frau hält ein Smartphone, auf dessen Display verschiedene Social Media Apps angezeigt werden.
Australiens Regierungschef Anthony Albanese.
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Overview

  • The law bars users under 16 from holding accounts on major services such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and Facebook, with enforcement falling on the companies rather than families.
  • Meta began closing teen accounts in early December, Reddit said it will make changes despite calling the law legally wrong, and X was singled out as not committing to comply.
  • Platforms face fines of up to A$49.5 million for failing to take reasonable steps and must choose verification methods that can include age inference, facial or voice checks, or ID uploads.
  • Messaging, educational and gaming services such as WhatsApp, YouTube Kids, Discord and Roblox are excluded, highlighting uneven coverage and potential routes for young users to shift activity.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged teens to step away from “endless” scrolling, critics warned of privacy risks and circumvention, a High Court challenge by two 15‑year‑olds is pending, and researchers view the rollout as a rare natural experiment watched by other governments.