Australia Passes Landmark Law Banning Social Media for Children Under 16
Australia officially approves legislation that prohibits children under 16 from using social media platforms. The law, which takes effect in November 2025, imposes massive fines on tech companies that fail to implement strict age verification.
Australia approves groundbreaking legislation that bans children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. The bill receives swift backing from both the center-left government and the main conservative opposition party due to shared concerns about the negative impact of tech services on youth well-being.
The new law takes effect in November 2025 and requires social media companies to take "reasonable steps" to prevent minors from accessing their services. Platforms that fail to enforce these age verification measures face massive fines of up to approximately $32 million.
Lawmakers ignore petitions from tech giants like Google and Meta to delay the ban until after an age-verification trial concludes next year. However, the Senate adds a last-minute privacy amendment that prevents social media platforms from forcing users to submit personal documents like passports or digital IDs to prove their age.