Australia to Ban Under-16 Social Media Accounts by December

The Australian government has released detailed compliance guidance for technology companies ahead of a landmark law that will ban social media accounts for users under the age of 16. The legislation, set to take effect on December 10, places strict responsibilities on platforms to ensure age restrictions are properly enforced—or face penalties.

Compliance Guidelines Released

The eSafety Commission has issued supporting documentation, including a self-assessment tool, to help companies determine whether their services are covered by the new law. Platforms used primarily for education, health services, professional networking, or online gaming may be exempt from the restrictions.

Widely used platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are expected to be directly impacted, requiring them to implement robust mechanisms to comply.

Key Requirements for Social Media Platforms

Under the new rules, companies must:

• Identify and remove accounts belonging to users under 16.
• Notify affected users when their accounts are removed.
• Block re-registration attempts by underage users, including through measures that detect VPN use or other bypass methods.
• Provide an appeal process for legitimate users over 16 who are wrongly removed.
• Use multiple methods of age verification, not relying solely on government-issued IDs.
• Avoid storing individual age-check data, but maintain documented processes to prove compliance.

Companies can make use of existing account data, such as creation dates, to determine eligibility. However, each platform remains responsible for designing and implementing its own age assurance system.

Limited Access Still Permitted

Although account creation will be banned for under-16 users, young people will still be able to view public social media content without logging in. Access through shared family devices may also allow some underage browsing, making enforcement particularly challenging.

Role of Caregivers

The government framework emphasizes the role of parents and caregivers in guiding children’s digital activity. To support this, the eSafety Commission will release additional resources to help families understand the new rules and manage their children’s online presence.

Implementation and Industry Response

Platforms are expected to review account databases immediately to identify and flag potential underage users. While the government has not mandated a single technological solution, this flexibility could result in different enforcement methods across services.

Communications Minister Anika Wells reaffirmed the government’s firm stance, stating that the law will go ahead as planned and stressing there will be “no excuse for non-compliance.”