Australia is preparing for a major shift in its online safety landscape as its new law banning social media access for children under 16 comes into effect on December 10. With Meta already deactivating hundreds of thousands of underage accounts across Instagram, Facebook and Threads, Australia’s eSafety regulator believes this move will trigger a global wave of similar crackdowns on Big Tech platforms.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the country’s decision to enforce a strict under-16 social media ban could set an international precedent in the push to regulate Big Tech more aggressively.
Although she previously expressed reservations about what she described as a “blunt-force” method of entirely blocking young teens from social platforms, she said that years of gradual policy changes had not delivered adequate results. Now, she believes decisive action has become necessary.
“We’ve reached a tipping point,” Inman Grant said on Thursday during the Sydney Dialogue cyber summit.
“Our data is the currency that fuels these companies, and there are these powerful, harmful, deceptive design features that even adults are powerless to fight against. What chance do our children have?”
She added that governments around the world are watching Australia closely as the law takes effect, noting:
“I’ve always referred to this as the first domino, which is why they pushed back.”
Even before the official enforcement date, Meta has already begun disabling accounts belonging to users under 16. According to screenshots reviewed by Reuters, Instagram, Facebook and Threads have started issuing notifications and deactivating profiles.
Other major platforms—including TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube—have confirmed they will comply with the legislation. After more than a year of opposing the ban, the companies acknowledged they must adhere to the new rules, failure of which could result in fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).
eSafety data shows that 96% of Australian teens under 16—over one million young users—currently have at least one social media account, highlighting how widespread the change will be once the ban fully rolls out.
Most affected platforms are now notifying underage users, asking them to download their photos, contacts, and other content. Teens are being offered two options:
Permanently delete their accounts
Freeze accounts until they turn 16
The new law has gained support from Australian parents who feel overwhelmed by managing their children’s online habits.
Sydney mother Jennifer Jennison welcomed the nationwide ban, stating:
“It’s a great thing and I’m glad that the pressure is taken off the parents because there’s so many mental health implications,” she said.
“Give my kids a break after school and they can rest and hang out with the family.”
Inman Grant revealed that lobbying efforts by social media companies may have extended to the U.S. government. She said the U.S. House Judiciary Committee contacted her, inviting testimony about whether Australia’s regulations represent an attempt to exert authority over American free speech.
While she did not confirm if she would attend, she added:
“By virtue of writing to me and asking me to appear before the committee, that’s also using extra-territorial reach.”