Australia starts under‑16 social media ban; >200,000 TikTok accounts deactivated as eSafety begins audits
Australia began enforcing the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act on Dec. 10, 2025, banning children under 16 from major platforms and requiring firms to take “reasonable steps” — including age‑assurance, removal of existing under‑16 accounts, prevention of re‑registration (including VPN detection), clear notices, appeals processes and guidance on downloading data — or face fines up to AU$49.5 million. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman‑Grant will demand implementation details from ten platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch), Communications Minister Anika Wells said more than 200,000 Australian TikTok accounts had been deactivated, and officials will publish a preliminary compliance update before Christmas; Prime Minister Anthony Albanese framed the move as protecting youth mental health and giving families more power.
📌 Key Facts
- Australia's Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, passed in November 2024, bans children under 16 from major social media platforms and began being enforced on December 10, 2025.
- The law explicitly targets Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch; platforms face fines up to AU$49.5 million for failing to take ‘reasonable steps’ to comply.
- Regulators expect platforms to take “reasonable steps,” including age‑assurance measures, removal of existing under‑16 accounts and prevention of re‑registration (including detecting VPN‑based evasion).
- Officials warned platforms will face routine retrospective checks using platform data to detect evasion, and eSafety will use platform responses as the baseline for compliance enforcement.
- Platforms must provide clear user‑support: notices when accounts are deactivated, review/appeal pathways, and guidance on downloading data and accessing support services.
- Communications Minister Anika Wells said more than 200,000 TikTok accounts in Australia had been deactivated by Wednesday.
- eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant will send notices to 10 platforms demanding details on implementation and the number of accounts closed; eSafety plans to publish a preliminary compliance update before Christmas.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese framed the measure as addressing youth mental health and social harms and said it helps families 'take back power' from tech companies.
📊 Relevant Data
Approximately 17.4% of Australia's population identifies as Asian according to the 2021 census.
Asian Australians — Wikipedia
Asian Australians were more likely to feel anxious and worried due to COVID-19 (80.7%) compared to 62.4% of the rest of the Australian population.
COVID-racism on social media and its impact on young Asians in Australia — Asian Journal of Communication
Active use of social media relating to COVID-19 increases the likelihood of young Asians in Australia experiencing both individual and vicarious racial discrimination on social media, which contributes to concerns about real-world racism and leads to negative emotions and low life satisfaction.
COVID-racism on social media and its impact on young Asians in Australia — Asian Journal of Communication
Young people who have migrated to Australia from Africa are up to 10 times more likely to develop a psychotic disorder than their Australian-born counterparts.
Young migrants from Africa at increased risk of developing psychosis — Orygen
Approximately 1.3% of Australia's population are African Australians.
African Australians — Wikipedia
📰 Sources (3)
- Communications Minister Anika Wells said more than 200,000 TikTok accounts in Australia had been deactivated by Wednesday.
- eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant will send notices to 10 platforms on Thursday demanding details on implementation and the number of accounts closed.
- eSafety plans to provide the public a preliminary compliance update before Christmas; notice responses will form the compliance baseline.
- The law explicitly targets Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Twitch, with fines up to AU$49.5M if they fail to take reasonable steps.
- Officials warned that VPN-based evasion and other avoidance will be countered by routine retrospective checks using platform data.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese framed the move as families 'taking back power' from tech companies.
- Identifies the law as the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, passed in November 2024.
- Confirms enforcement begins December 10, 2025, with accounts for users under 16 barred.
- Details compliance: platforms must take “reasonable steps,” including age‑assurance measures, removal of existing under‑16 accounts, prevention of re‑registration (including VPN detection).
- Specifies user‑support expectations: clear review/appeal pathways, notices on deactivation, and guidance on downloading data and accessing support.
- States maximum penalties up to AU$49.5 million (~$32 million) for noncompliance.
- Includes direct remarks from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese linking policy to youth mental health and social harms.