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Social media ban will be implemented in Australia for children under 16 years of age. Meta, TikTok and Snapchat confirmed they would comply, but the companies warned of difficulties.
Australia has recently passed a new law, under which social media platforms will be banned for children under 16 years of age. This law will come into effect from December 10, 2025. Meta (Facebook and Instagram), TikTok and Snapchat have announced that they will comply with this new law. The Parliament of Australia has decided that it will be necessary to remove users under 16 years of age from these platforms.
Mia Garlick, policy director of Meta, said that identifying and removing millions of users is a very challenging task. TikTok’s Australia policy head Ella Woods-Joyce said it would follow the law, but this ‘sudden and harsh’ ban could push young users into unknown and unsafe parts of the internet. Snapchat’s Jennifer Stout also said, ‘We don’t agree, but will follow the law.’
Experts say that keeping young children away from social media will not keep them safe, rather they will move to other risky platforms.
Tech industry reaction
This law of Australia is considered to be one of the strictest social media rules in the world. Many tech companies have termed it ‘vague, problematic and hastily made’.
YouTube had also earlier expressed concern that although the intention of the law is good, it would be difficult to implement it and ensure the safety of children. Additionally, the Australian online monitoring agency has suggested that the ban could also extend to other platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitch and Roblox.
Afreen Afaq started her career as a tech journalist with Network 18, and has over six years of experience in the ‘mobile-technology’ beat. She is an established and proven high performance professional…read more
Afreen Afaq started her career as a tech journalist with Network 18, and has over six years of experience in the ‘mobile-technology’ beat. She is an established and proven high performance professional… read more
