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28 November 2025
Child Safety Online: A Priority in the 21st Century
“I just learned something that broke my heart as a mother. My 12-year-old has been struggling with cyberbullying for over a year… and I had no idea,” writes an anonymous user on Reddit.com.
Millions of stories like this resonate worldwide. Driven by a pressing need to shield minors from online harm, the Australian government took drastic action a few months ago.
Australia Implements Social Media Ban for Children
The Australian government has passed legislation that effectively prohibits the use of social media platforms by individuals under 16. Under these new mandates, Meta – which operates the country’s largest social media services – is now obligated to enforce the restrictions. This process is already underway.
Account Freezing is Imminent
In recent weeks, Meta notified all users affected by the social media ban. Children received a message about the imminent freezing of their accounts, urging them to save any essential materials and data before December 4th. This is the date when Meta will begin blocking their access.
Platforms Impacted by the Ban
The enforcement process will take less than a week, with the new law taking full effect on December 10th. The restriction, however, is not permanent; every child will regain access to their profile upon turning 16.
The following major platforms will be disabled for minors:
- TikTok
- X (formerly Twitter)
- Snapchat
- Twitch
Fun fact about social media:
More than 57.6% of the world’s population—around 4.55 billion people—uses at least one social media platform. On average, they spend about two and a half hours on them each day.
More than 57.6% of the world’s population—around 4.55 billion people—uses at least one social media platform. On average, they spend about two and a half hours on them each day.
Staying Connected: Communication Apps Remain Available
Despite the stringent new rules, minors will still be able to use direct messaging applications such as Messenger and WhatsApp. Access to YouTube will be restricted; children will only be allowed to view content deemed appropriate for their age group.
Even with clear rules, a user who is technically allowed to use social media may still be unable to log into their profile. What is the process then?
Age Verification: The System’s Core Challenge
In such cases, teenagers will be able to appeal the platform’s decision. They can submit a selfie for verification or confirm their age using an identity document.
Social media services are responsible for verifying their users’ ages, and their management will be fully accountable for compliance with the new regulations. Non-compliance could lead to financial penalties of up to 9 million US dollars (or the equivalent in other currencies).
To mitigate this risk, platforms are introducing AI-powered age verification. However, as is widely known, AI systems are not infallible, and this isn’t the only potential flaw in the new social media ban.
Experts Warn of Potential Dangers
The new Australian regulations were partly motivated by a survey showing that 77% of respondents supported limiting platform access for the youngest users. Unsurprisingly, many parents and guardians welcome the changes. However, some academics express serious doubts about the long-term effectiveness of the introduced legislation.
Protecting Children vs. Pushing Them Underground
As Prof. Faith Gordon pointed out, there is a very real risk that children will seek workarounds, such as using VPNs to create new profiles or borrowing accounts. Operating outside the law could lead them into significantly less-regulated corners of the internet, including encrypted networks or the dark web.
“These spaces carry a much higher risk—from exposure to harmful content to exploitation—and are much harder for parents, educators, and regulators to monitor and track.”
– Faith Gordon, Associate Professor at the School of Law, Australian National University, quoted by the BBC.
The push for child safety in the digital space is becoming a priority in many nations. Similar restrictions have been introduced in the UK, with France planning to follow suit, and the Danish government is also considering a comparable solution to the Australian social media ban.
Read this artilcle in Polish: Australia wyłącza social media dzieciom. Jest jeden problem
