Overview
- From December 10, platforms named by the eSafety Commissioner must take reasonable steps to prevent under‑16s from holding new or existing accounts across 10 services including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, X, Kick, Twitch and Threads.
- Guidance remains uneven: Meta has begun early deactivations, Snapchat issued warnings, TikTok is set to publish instructions shortly, and Twitch will block new under‑16 sign‑ups on December 10 but delay deactivations until January 9.
- Two 15‑year‑olds backed by the Digital Freedom Project have lodged a High Court challenge arguing the law infringes the implied freedom of political communication, while the government says implementation will proceed.
- Teens are shifting to lesser‑known apps such as Yope and Lemon8, but eSafety notes any service primarily for sharing posts is covered, and experts warn families to watch for scam age‑verification prompts.
- Families are urged to download account data, verify ages if wrongly flagged, explore alternative services not covered by the rules, and prepare children for the transition as researchers plan evaluations of the ban’s impact and experts remain divided on expected benefits.