Australia wants to end the era of kids on social media with international ban hailed as ‘first domino’ in global movement

Australia’s world-first ban on social media accounts for under-16s is being cast by supporters as the “first domino” to fall in a global rollback of children’s presence on major platforms. Starting Dec. 10, covered platforms must take “reasonable steps” to prevent Australians under age 16 from creating or keeping accounts, with no parental-consent exceptions.

Under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) framework, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit, Threads, Kick and Twitch are required to block accounts held by under-16s or face fines up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) per breach. The rules apply to both domestic and international platforms serving Australian users and aim to create a uniform national minimum age of