Australia to implement age limit of 16 on social media with fines reaching $33 million next week

MELBOURNE, Australia Starting next week, social media companies will be required to report monthly on the number of childrens accounts they deactivate, according to an announcement by a government minister on Wednesday. Platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube could face fines up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) if they fail to take proper measures to remove accounts of Australian users under 16 years old. Recently, livestreaming platform Twitch was also added to the list of age-restricted services.

The Australian eSafety Commissioner will issue notices to these ten platforms on December 11, demanding detailed information on the accounts removed, with monthly follow-ups scheduled for six months. Communications Minister Anika Wells told the National Press Club of Australia that verifying users' ages may take several days or weeks to ensure accuracy. She added that platforms could face fines if systemic breaches of the law are discovered.

The eSafety regulator indicated that courts could impose the maximum penalty for repeated violations. Google announced that from December 10, users under 16 in Australia will be logged out of YouTube and lose access to features exclusive to account holders, such as playlists. Age will be determined using data from Google accounts and other signals. Google criticized the legislation, stating it misunderstands the platform, how young Australians use it, and does not effectively enhance online safety for children.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, confirmed that suspected underage users will be removed starting Thursday. Those aged 16 or older who were mistakenly removed can verify their age through Yoti Age Verification by submitting government-issued IDs or a video selfie.

The Sydney-based Digital Freedom Project hopes the High Court will issue an injunction to block the law from taking effect. No court date had been set as of Wednesday. Minister Wells emphasized the governments commitment to enforcing the law, reflecting widespread parental support across Australia.

Wells also noted that other countries, including Malaysia, which plans to implement a similar rule from 2026, and regions such as the European Commission, France, Denmark, Greece, Romania, and New Zealand, are exploring minimum age requirements for social media usage.

Author: Sophia Brooks