By Aida Cepeda, age 10
Australia is banning social media platforms for kids under the age of 16. For kids’ safety, they are banning some of your favorite apps, like X, TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook. Some apps that are not being banned are YouTube, Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, and Google Classroom, because they provide a safe environment for kids. If the banned apps do not find a way to get kids under 16 off of their app, they will get fined up to 50 million Australian dollars. The ban will take effect on Dec. 10, 2025.
The law requires the apps to figure out how they’re going to keep kids under 16 off their platforms. These apps are not allowed to use anything related to the government, like IDs and driver’s licenses. Instead, they might use biometrics or behavior signals. Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety commissioner, says she found a company in Washington, D.C., that analyzes hand movements to verify somebody’s age.
An eSafety Commission study determined 84% of 8- to 12-year-olds were already on social media. Grant told NPR, “Interestingly, we asked, ‘Were your parents or any adults aware that you were setting up these social media accounts early?’ And 80% of them said yes. And in 90% of cases, it was parents that helped them set up their accounts.”
The ban has sparked a lot of controversy in Australia. Sen. David Shoebridge says, “This policy will hurt vulnerable young people the most, especially in regional communities and especially the LGBTQI community, by cutting them off.” Tech companies warn the ban might drive kids to dark corners of the web.
But there are several parents who are worried knowing that their kids have almost full control over apps such as TikTok and Snapchat. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the law supports parents concerned by online harms to their children. “Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them,” Albanese told reporters.
The U.S. had a chance to put some more safety measures online with the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which passed the Senate last summer. According to CPR News, KOSA would have forced social media companies to protect kids’ data, put their accounts on strong privacy settings, and take “reasonable steps” to prevent them from being harmed on their platforms.
Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, blocked the Kids Online Safety Act from being put to a vote last December.
Only time will tell whether Australia’s ban will work, and what effect it will have on other countries’ social media policies when it comes to minors.
