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Under-16s social media ban now in force

Wednesday, 10 December 2025 09:33

By Monique Welhan

PIC: File

Australian children under the age of 16 are now locked out of their social media accounts, as a world-first ban came into effect overnight.

The crackdown covers platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Reddit, Twitch and Kick — with companies facing fines of up to $49.5 million dollars if they fail to comply.

On Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the ban was about families taking back control and protecting young people from harmful content.

"This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies. They are asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind," he said.

Platforms that are not included in the ban are Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, LEGO Play, Messenger, Pinterest, Roblox, Steam and Steam Chat, WhatsApp, YouTube Kids, Lemon8, Yope and Coverstar.

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