The Australian government has signalled it will broaden its world-first ban on social media for children under 16, as the landmark policy prepares to take effect next week. Communications Minister Anika Wells conceded the scheme will not work perfectly from day one, but stressed platforms flouting the new law face massive fines.
Ban Begins Amid Implementation Challenges
Starting 10 December, major platforms will be legally required to prevent under-16s from creating accounts or accessing their services. However, Minister Wells acknowledged the process might take "days or even weeks" to fully implement, describing it as an "age assurance sieve" that will gradually filter out underage users.
With just days until the deadline, several large platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, X, and Kick, had not publicly confirmed their compliance methods by Tuesday. Only Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Threads, has detailed its plans to users.
Platforms failing to remove users under 16 risk fines of up to $50 million. The eSafety Commission will begin seeking information from companies on 11 December about their efforts to purge underage accounts, requesting data monthly thereafter.
New Platforms in the Crosshairs
The government has warned that the list of banned platforms is not static. Minister Wells explicitly stated that if children migrate to sites not currently listed, those too will be targeted. Lemon8, a newer Instagram-style app owned by TikTok's parent company ByteDance, has experienced a surge in interest precisely because it was initially excluded.
Guardian Australia can reveal that Lemon8 has now decided to restrict its users to those aged over 16 from 10 December, following contact from the eSafety Commission. The regulator had warned it was monitoring the app for possible inclusion.
"If everybody ends up on LinkedIn, and LinkedIn becomes a place where there is online bullying, algorithms targeting 13 to 16-year-olds... then we will go after LinkedIn," Wells said. "That’s why all platforms are on notice. We have to be agile and dynamic."
Political and Practical Hurdles
The policy faces scrutiny from the political opposition and legal challenges. The Coalition has raised concerns about the timing and practical operation of the age verification systems. Minister Wells, however, vowed the government "will not be flinching in the face of any intimidation, any threats" from big tech companies.
Despite the anticipated teething problems, the government believes sending a strong signal to parents and children about the risks of social media is worthwhile, even if some minors initially slip through the net. The move comes as statistics show almost 86% of Australian children aged between eight and 15 use social media.
Wells will tell the National Press Club that while there will still be children with accounts on 10 December, the government is committed to the long-term enforcement of the ban and will not let platforms off the hook.
