Sydney: Australia is preparing to roll out one of the world’s most ambitious social media restrictions, a law that bars children under the age of 16 from accessing platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. As the December enforcement deadline approaches, regulators are pressing technology companies to adopt “minimally invasive” methods of verifying user ages striking a balance between safeguarding children and protecting user privacy.
The ban, which passed into law in November 2024, requires platforms to identify and deactivate underage accounts. The country’s online safety watchdog, eSafety, has now issued fresh guidance on how companies should comply. Rather than demanding intrusive document checks or blanket re-verification for all users, regulators are encouraging firms to make use of the sophisticated tools already at their disposal. Artificial intelligence, behavioral analysis, and existing registration data are among the methods being proposed to estimate user ages without unnecessary disruption.
Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, emphasized that social media companies already demonstrate precision when it comes to targeting users with advertising. That same level of technological capacity, she argued, must now be applied to protecting young people. “Platforms know their users better than anyone else,” she said, adding that this knowledge should be directed toward safeguarding children instead of purely commercial gain.
The move is rooted in growing national concern over the impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Studies referenced by regulators show that nearly all teenagers between the ages of 13 and 15 are active on social media, with many reporting high levels of stress, sleep disruption, and exposure to harmful content. By preventing under-16s from joining or maintaining accounts, the government hopes to reduce risks linked to online bullying, exploitation, and addictive usage patterns.
The government’s approach also aims to avoid unnecessary intrusion into the lives of adult users. According to the eSafety guidance, the ban should not result in mass checks that disrupt people over the age of 16. Instead, companies are instructed to take “reasonable steps” to detect underage accounts and to prevent banned users from re-registering with false details. Communications Minister Anika Wells reinforced the point, stressing that firms will be expected to shut down loopholes that allow under-age users to return under new identities.
Still, the law raises complex questions around data rights and privacy. Experts caution that efforts to determine user age through algorithms or data profiling could risk overreach if not carefully managed. The government insists, however, that its focus on “minimally invasive” methods reflects an awareness of these challenges and is designed to protect personal information while upholding child safety.
Global attention is now turning to Australia as it becomes one of the first nations to implement such a sweeping restriction. Other countries grappling with similar concerns are watching closely to see how the balance between safety, privacy, and freedom is maintained. For tech giants like Meta, Google, and TikTok, the coming months will be a test of both compliance and public trust.
As December’s deadline approaches, the effectiveness of Australia’s law will depend on how rigorously platforms enforce the ban and how effectively regulators monitor compliance. What is clear, however, is that the policy represents a turning point in how governments and societies confront the complex relationship between young people and social media.