https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/australia-social-media-ban-takes-effect-world-first-2025-12-09/ Skip to main content Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals Learn more aboutRefinitiv * World Browse World + Africa + Americas + Asia Pacific + China + Europe + India + Israel and Hamas at War + Japan + Middle East + Ukraine and Russia at War + United Kingdom + United States + Reuters NEXT New York * Business Browse Business + Aerospace & Defense + Autos & Transportation + Davos + Energy + Environment + Finance + Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals + Media & Telecom + Retail & Consumer + Future of Health + Future of Money + Take Five + World at Work * Markets Browse Markets + On the Money + Asian Markets + Carbon Markets + Commodities + Currencies + Deals + Emerging Markets + ETFs + European Markets + Funds + Global Market Data + Rates & Bonds + Stocks + U.S. Markets + Wealth + Econ World * Sustainability Browse Sustainability + Boards, Policy & Regulation + Climate & Energy + Land Use & Biodiversity + Society & Equity + Sustainable Finance & Reporting + The Switch + Reuters Impact + COP30 * Legal Browse Legal + Government + Legal Industry + Litigation + Transactional + US Supreme Court * Commentary Browse Commentary + Breakingviews + ROI: Reuters Open Interest * Technology Browse Technology + Artificial Intelligence + Cybersecurity + Space + Disrupted * Investigations * More Sports + Athletics + Baseball + Basketball + Cricket + Cycling + Formula 1 + Golf + NFL + NHL + Soccer + Tennis Science Lifestyle City Memo Graphics Pictures Wider Image Podcasts + Reuters World News + Reuters Morning Bid + Reuters Econ World + On Assignment + Viewsroom + The Big View Live Fact Check Video Sponsored Content + Reuters Plus + Press Releases My News Register Australia begins enforcing world-first teen social media ban By Byron Kaye and Renju Jose December 10, 20256:34 PM UTCUpdated ago * * * * * * * * * Summary * Companies * Musk's X says it will comply, final platform to agree * Australia first in world to ban social media for under-16s * Ten major platforms ordered to block children or face fine * EU lawmaker says Europe has a chance to learn from Australia SYDNEY, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Australia on Wednesday became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking access in a move welcomed by many parents and child advocates but criticised by major technology companies and free-speech advocates. Starting at midnight (1300 GMT on Tuesday), 10 of the largest platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab YouTube and Meta's (META.O), opens new tab Instagram and Facebook were ordered to block children or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million) under the new law, which is being closely watched by regulators worldwide. Sign up here. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it "a proud day" for families and cast the law as proof that policymakers can curb online harms that have outpaced traditional safeguards. "This will make an enormous difference. It is one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has faced," Albanese told a news conference on Wednesday. "It's a profound reform which will continue to reverberate around the world." READ A BOOK INSTEAD, PM TELLS YOUNGSTERS In a video message, Albanese urged children to "start a new sport, new instrument, or read that book that has been sitting there for some time on your shelf," ahead of Australia's summer school break starting later this month. Some of those below the cut-off age of 16 were anxious about adjusting to life without social media, but others were less concerned. "I'm not really that emotional about it," said 14-year-old Claire Ni. "I'm kind of just, like, neutral." Luna Dizon, 15, said she still had access to her TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat accounts, but worried about "culture shock" once the ban took full effect. "I think eventually, without (social media), we'll learn how to adapt to it," she added. TEENAGER SIGNS OFF WITH 'SEE YOU WHEN I'M 16' While the government has said the ban would not be perfect in its operation, about 200,000 accounts were deactivated by Wednesday on TikTok alone, with "hundreds of thousands" more to be blocked in the next few days. Many of the estimated 1 million children affected by the legislation also posted goodbye messages on social media. "No more social media ... no more contact with the rest of the world," one teen wrote on TikTok. "#seeyouwhenim16," said another. Others said they would learn how to get round the ban. Teens discuss Australia's social media ban for under-16s, set to take effect December 10, in Sydney The Prime Minister hosts an event to mark the beginning of the social media ban for users under 16 at Kirribilli House in Sydney Item 1 of 2 Annie Wang, 14, poses after an interview discussing Australia's social media ban for users under 16, which is scheduled to take effect on December 10, in Sydney, Australia, November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams [1/2]Annie Wang, 14, poses after an interview discussing Australia's social media ban for users under 16, which is scheduled to take effect on December 10, in Sydney, Australia, November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab "It's just kind of pointless, we're just going to create new ways to get on these platforms, so what's the point," said 14-year-old Claire Ni. BAN HAS GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS The rollout caps a year of debate over whether any country could practically stop children from using platforms embedded in daily life, and begins a live test for governments frustrated that social media firms have been slow to implement harm-reduction measures. "I'm happy that they want to protect kids, and I'm happy that we have a chance to see how they do it and see if we can learn from them," said European Union lawmaker Christel Schaldemose, who wants to see greater protection for the bloc's children. Albanese's centre-left government proposed the landmark law citing research showing harms to mental health from the overuse of social media among young teens, including misinformation, bullying and harmful depictions of body image. Several countries from Denmark to New Zealand to Malaysia have signalled they may study or emulate Australia's model. At a school in the German city of Bonn, students spoke favourably of a ban. "Social media is highly addictive and doesn't really have any real advantages. I mean, there are advantages, such as being able to spread your opinion, but I think the disadvantages, especially the addiction, are much worse," said 15-year-old pupil Arian Klaar. Julie Inman Grant, the U.S.-born eSafety Commissioner who is overseeing the ban, told Reuters on Wednesday a groundswell of American parents wanted similar measures. "I hear from the parents and the activists and everyday people in America, 'we wish we had an eSafety commissioner like you in America, we wish we had a government that was going to put tween and teen safety before technology profits,'" she said in an interview at her office in Sydney. 'NOT OUR CHOICE': X SAYS WILL COMPLY Elon Musk's X became the last of the 10 major platforms to take measures to cut off access to underage teens after publicly acknowledging on Wednesday that it would comply. "It's not our choice - it's what the Australian law requires," X said on its website. Australia has said the initial list of covered platforms would change as new products emerge and young users migrate. Companies have told Canberra they will deploy a mix of age inference - estimating a user's age from their behaviour - and age estimation based on a selfie, alongside checks that could include uploaded identification documents. For social media businesses, the implementation marks a new era of structural stagnation as user numbers flatline and time spent on platforms shrinks, studies show. Platforms say they earn little from advertising to under-16s, but warn the ban disrupts a pipeline of future users. Just before the ban took effect, 86% of Australians aged eight to 15 used social media, the government said. ($1 = 1.5097 Australian dollars) Reporting by Byron Kaye and Renju Jose; Additional reporting by James Redmayne and Cordelia Hsu; Writing by Alasdair Pal, Alexandra Hudson and Christine Chen; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Mark Potter, Lincoln Feast and Deepa Babington Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Litigation * Data Privacy * Public Policy * * * * * Purchase Licensing Rights Byron Kaye Byron Kaye Thomson Reuters Byron Kaye is the Reuters chief companies correspondent for Australia, based in Sydney. Over 10 years at Reuters he has covered banks, retail, healthcare, media, technology and politics, among other topics. 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