Australia on Wednesday became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking access to platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Ten of the biggest platforms were ordered to block children from midnight (1300 GMT Tuesday) or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million) under the new law, which drew criticism from big tech companies and free speech advocates but was welcomed by many parents and child advocates.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it “a proud day” for families and touted the law as proof that politicians can stem online harm that has outstripped traditional safeguards.
“This is the day Australian families take back the power from these big tech companies,” Albanese said ABC News.
“New technology can do wonderful things, but we need to ensure that humans are in control of our own destiny, and that’s what this is all about,” he said.
In a video message, Albanese urged children to “take up a new sport, new instrument or read that book that’s been sitting there for a while on your shelf,” ahead of Australia’s summer school holidays starting later this month.
In the hours before the ban took effect, many of the estimated one million children affected by the legislation began sending messages saying goodbye to their online followers.
“No more social media… no more contact with the rest of the world,” one teenager wrote on TikTok.
“#seeyouwhenim16,” said another.
The rollout caps a year of debate over whether a country could effectively prevent children from using platforms that are integrated into daily life, and begins a live test for governments around the world frustrated that social media companies have been slow to implement harm-reduction measures.
Albanese’s centre-left government proposed the landmark law, citing research showing damage to mental health from overuse of social media among young teenagers, including misinformation, bullying and harmful depictions of body image.
Several countries from Denmark to New Zealand to Malaysia have signaled they may study or emulate Australia’s model, making the country a test case for how far governments can push aging without stifling speech or innovation.
‘Not our choice’: X says will comply
Elon Musk’s X became the last of the 10 major platforms to take steps to cut off access to underage teenagers after publicly acknowledging on Wednesday that it would comply.
“It’s not our choice – it’s what Australian law requires,” X said on its website.
“X will automatically leave anyone who doesn’t meet our age requirements.”
Australia has said the initial list of covered platforms will change as new products emerge and young users migrate.
Companies have told Canberra they will implement a mix of age inference – estimating a user’s age from their behavior – and age assessment based on a selfie, along with checks that could include uploaded identification documents or linked bank account details.
For social media companies, the deployment marks a new era of structural stagnation as user numbers and time spent on platforms dwindle, studies show.
Platforms say they make little money from advertising to under-16s, but warn the ban disrupts a pipeline of future users. Just before the ban came into effect, 86% of Australians aged 8-15 used social media, the government said.
Some young people have warned that the ban on social media could isolate people.
“It’s going to get worse for queer people and people with niche interests, because that’s the only way they can find their community,” 14-year-old Annie Wang said before the ban.
“Some people also use it to vent their feelings and talk to people for help … So I feel like it’s going to be fine for some people, but for some people it’s going to worsen their mental health.”
