Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has officially launched Australia’s world-leading social media ban for under-16s, describing it as “one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has faced.”
The announcement took place at Kirribilli House, the Prime Minister’s secondary residence in Sydney, where Albanese emphasised the importance of protecting children’s mental health and reclaiming control for families.
“This is world-leading. This is Australia showing enough is enough,” Albanese stated. “This reform will change lives for Australian kids… it’s about our families taking back control.” He acknowledged the ban would not be perfect but celebrated it as a “proud day to be Australian.”
The legislation, which came into effect at midnight on Tuesday, prevents children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms including Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, X, Twitch, Threads, and Kick. Accounts suspected of belonging to minors will be suspended unless verified with identification. Platforms failing to comply could face fines of up to $49.5 million, while parents and children face no penalties.
Young advocates and psychologists have weighed in on the reform. Twelve-year-old Flossie Brodribb, who studied social media and childhood development, called the ban essential for safeguarding young minds. Clinical psychologist Danielle Einstein warned that age restrictions alone are insufficient, urging parents to model responsible digital behaviour alongside their children.
International recognition has followed, with US Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman praising the measure as a “worthy attempt” to regulate social media, contrasting it with America’s largely unregulated digital landscape. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt also welcomed the ban, noting that it provides Australian children with a “childhood worth remembering.”
The initiative has sparked debate online, with teens protesting that social media is integral to their social lives. Albanese responded by stressing that the reform is about supporting families and shifting the responsibility for digital safety onto social media companies.
Parent advocates, including Wayne Holdsworth of the Let Them Be Kids campaign, paid tribute to families who lost children to online predators, noting that today’s policy gives hope for safer digital environments.
Communications Minister Anika Wells warned that children who have temporarily avoided the restrictions will face enforcement soon, stressing that compliance by platforms is mandatory.
Australia’s social media age ban represents a historic step in digital regulation, aiming to prioritise child mental health and family control over the pervasive influence of online platforms.
