In a bid to keep its young people safer online, from 10th December, Australia’s under-14s will face restrictions on social media platforms.
A global survey recently took in the views of 23,000 adults in 30 countries and found that 71 % of respondents support banning social-media use for children under 14.
The results revealed by the Ipsos poll mirror the growing concern about how underage and early access to platforms may affect young people’s mental health, wellbeing and online safety.
Of course, social media platforms set a minimum age of 13 – and this applies to all the major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and X. But the truth is that young people can easily set up accounts on these sites without verification. The challenge is for platforms to detect underage users, apply verification and enforce the rules – and it’s not easy.
Australia is leading the way
Australia is rolling out a new and ambitious regulatory framework and public information campaign aimed at restricting under-16s from using social-media platforms. From 10th December, social-media companies will be required to “take reasonable steps” to ensure users under this age cannot access their services.
The government’s decision arises from evidence that young people may not yet have the skills or experience to navigate complex online environments safely. In addition, it can cause harm to their mental health and wellbeing.
Change is coming – but is it all good?
As part of the upcoming regulations, Australia’s eSafety Commission has launched advertisements within social apps to alert users and raise awareness of the approaching changes.
While the legislation intends to protect young people’s mental health, practical enforcement of the ban is not without its own issues. Age-detection methods such as selfie video scanning and parental consent tracking are still in the testing phases and none of them yet offer a single effective solution.
Social media platforms must also balance the new laws and manage dissent from their users. However well-intentioned this legislation is, there are concerns that the new ban may even encourage young users to head towards more risky parts of the internet.
With other countries such as France, Norway and the UK also making moves to keep students safer online, many will be watching Australia’s progress on this issue with much interest.
Reference
- 71% of People Support Social Media Bans for Children [Infographic]. Available at: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/majority-people-support-stronger-teen-access-restrictions-social-media-infographic/802556/ (Accessed 10 November 2025)
- Australia Launches Ads for Coming Teen Social Media Restrictions. Available at: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/australia-launches-ads-teen-social-media-ban/804022/ (Accessed 10 November 2025)
- Chart: Social Media Ban for Children Has Broad Public Support Globally. Available at: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/majority-supports-social-media-ban-for-children/ (Accessed 10 November 2025)
