Social Media Ban: Big step by the Australian government! Now children under 16 will not be able to use social media

Against the backdrop of increasing social media use among young and teenage children and the resulting health and mental issues, Australia has taken a significant step. The country's parliament has recently approved a new law that will completely prohibit children under the age of 16 from having and using accounts on social media platforms. This rule will come into effect from December 10, 2025.

This decision will have a direct impact on major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, which are used worldwide. Although these companies have promised to comply with the law, they have also clarified that this will pose technical challenges in actual implementation.

If government rules are violated, social media companies can be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars. Companies claim that determining the age of millions of users, verifying their identity, and closing accounts of those who violate rules is a very complex and time-consuming process.

Some experts and industry representatives have criticized this law, expressing concern that such bans could lead underage users to turn to more dangerous and unregulated digital platforms. There are also allegations that this law is vague and was hastily prepared.

Meanwhile, Australia's online safety monitoring agency suggests that other popular platforms like WhatsApp, Twitch, and Roblox may also be included in these regulatory frameworks in the future. How effective will this attempt be to provide children with a safe digital environment by reducing dependency on social media? The world is now watching closely.