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Global Push to Restrict Children's Social Media and Online Access Gains Momentum

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A Global Push to Restrict Minors' Social Media Access

As nations worldwide grapple with the impact of social media on young people, a growing number are implementing or considering legislation to restrict online content access for minors. Australia's comprehensive under-16 ban serves as a prominent test case for global policy efforts.

Australia's Under-16 Social Media Ban

Implementation and Scope

Australia's Online Safety Amendment Act, effective December 10, 2025, prohibits individuals under 16 from holding accounts on designated social media platforms. The legislation requires technology companies—not parents or children—to take "reasonable steps" to prevent underage access. Non-compliance can result in fines up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million).

The ban initially covered 10 platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, and Twitch. In March 2026, the government expanded the definition of covered platforms to include those with features such as infinite scroll, "feedback features" (likes or upvotes), and time-limited elements (disappearing stories).

Account Deactivations and Compliance Data

In the first two days following implementation, the government reported over 4.7 million accounts were deactivated, removed, or restricted across all affected platforms. This figure includes historical, inactive, and duplicate accounts.

Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads):

  • Between December 4 and December 11, Meta deactivated 544,052 accounts: 330,639 on Instagram, 173,497 on Facebook, and 39,916 on Threads.
  • An estimated 150,000 Facebook accounts and 350,000 Instagram accounts in Australia were projected to be affected.

Snapchat:

  • Disabled or locked over 415,000 accounts identified as belonging to users under 16 as of the end of January.

Other platforms affected by the ban have not publicly provided specific deactivation numbers.

Compliance Challenges

A compliance report released by the eSafety Commissioner in March 2026 identified several concerns:

"Approximately 31% of children still possessed at least one social media account after the ban, down from 49% prior to legislation."

  • Persistent underage access: A survey of 900 Australian parents indicated approximately 31% of children still possessed at least one social media account after the ban. Of under-16s who had accounts on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok before the ban, 70% maintained access.
  • Verification gaps: Approximately 66% of parents whose children remained on social media stated platforms had not requested age verification.
  • Repeated verification attempts: Some platforms allowed under-16s to attempt the same age assurance method multiple times until successful.
  • Reporting difficulties: Pathways for parents and others to report underage accounts were described as generally inaccessible or ineffective.
  • Age estimation limitations: Facial age estimation technology was reported to have error rates of two to three years, making it less accurate for users near the 16-year threshold.

Investigation: The eSafety Commissioner announced investigations into Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for potential non-compliance. Enforcement decisions, including possible fines, are expected by mid-2026.

Industry Response

Meta has stated its commitment to compliance while advocating for alternative approaches, including:

  • Age verification at the app store and operating system level
  • Parental approval mechanisms for under-16s
  • Industry-wide standards rather than individual platform bans

Reddit initiated a legal challenge against the ban, arguing it restricts young people's freedom of speech and could isolate teenagers from age-appropriate community experiences.

Snapchat identified "significant gaps" in the ban's implementation, citing technical limitations in age verification and concerns that the ban's limited scope might direct teenagers toward less regulated alternative platforms.

YouTube expressed concerns that the law reduces child safety by removing established parental controls, as parents would lose the ability to supervise their children's accounts once the ban commenced.

Teen Behavior and Circumvention

Reports indicate varying responses among teenagers:

  • Some teens reported embracing new habits, with one 14-year-old stating she felt "free" without social media pressure.
  • Other teens reported discovering methods to maintain access, including using alternative apps, creating new accounts after deactivation, or switching to messaging and gaming platforms not covered by the ban.
  • Downloads of unaffected apps (Lemon8, Yope, Discord) and VPN services initially increased before returning to normal levels.
  • An observational study by the University of Newcastle found over 80% of under-16s were still using social media three months after implementation.

Government Position

Communications Minister Anika Wells has stated that initial deactivation figures demonstrate a "meaningful difference" while acknowledging perfection was not expected immediately. The government has shifted its rhetoric toward holding platforms accountable, though no immediate plans for enforcing fines have been announced.

Other Countries' Legislation and Proposals

European Union

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the EU could propose a bloc-wide social media ban for children as early as summer 2025. An independent expert panel on online child safety has been established to assess measures. Key challenges include finding a common technical solution for age verification.

United Kingdom

The UK government announced a planned ban on social media use for individuals under 16, with coverage including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal are not included. Additional restrictions include blocking functions such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children under 16. The government aims to bring measures to Parliament, with enforcement expected in spring 2025. A national consultation survey received over 116,000 responses, with more than 83% of parent respondents stating the risks of social media outweigh the benefits.

Canada

The Canadian government introduced the Digital Safety Act, which would ban social media for children under 16 with exemptions for platforms meeting safety standards. The bill also aims to regulate AI chatbots by establishing a digital regulator. Companies failing to comply could face penalties of 3% of global revenue or up to C$10 million ($7.2 million).

Spain

Spain announced plans to implement a social media ban for individuals under 16, part of a broader government initiative to regulate tech companies. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated platforms will be required to implement "effective age-verification systems." Additional measures include legal accountability for executives who fail to remove unregulated or hateful content and making "algorithmic manipulation and the amplification of illegal content" a new criminal offense.

France

A French parliamentary enquiry recommended banning under-15s from social media. A bill to restrict access for under-16s passed the National Assembly and awaits Senate approval. France also prohibits mobile phone use in high schools.

Indonesia

Indonesia announced a ban on social media access for children under 16, citing concerns over online pornography, cyberbullying, online fraud, and internet addiction. The regulation covers high-risk digital platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. Implementation will commence gradually from March 28.

Other Countries

  • Denmark: Announced plans for a similar ban for users under 15.
  • Greece: Advocating for EU-level action.
  • Poland: Considering similar measures.
  • Brazil: A new law requires children under 16 to link social media accounts to a legal guardian and prohibits addictive features like infinite scroll.
  • Malaysia: From January 2025, major platforms must obtain a license requiring age verification and content-safety measures. Malaysia also plans to ban children under 16 from social media.

United States

Jury verdicts in Los Angeles and New Mexico found Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children using their services. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) passed the Senate in 2024 but has not advanced further.

Age Verification for Adult Content

Australia's Age-Restricted Material Codes

Australia implemented new Age-Restricted Material Codes effective March 9, 2026, requiring age verification for access to online content including pornography, high-impact violence, and self-harm material.

Requirements:

  • Platforms must verify users are over 18 through methods including photo identification, facial age estimation, or credit card checks.
  • Search engines must blur explicit search results by default for logged-out users.
  • AI companion chatbots must confirm users are 18 or older before generating certain content.
  • App stores must prevent users under 18 from purchasing or downloading R18+ apps.
  • Searches for suicide or self-harm content must display referral support services as the first result.

Industry Response:

  • Aylo (operator of Pornhub, RedTube, YouPorn, and Tube8) restricted Australian access, citing concerns that the measures do not effectively protect minors and create data privacy risks.
  • Following implementation, a surge in VPN downloads was observed in Australian app store rankings.

Rationale:

  • Research conducted by the eSafety Commission indicated one in three children aged 10 to 17 have encountered sexual images or videos online.
  • Over 70% were found to have seen or heard violent content or material depicting self-harm, suicide, or disordered eating.
  • eSafety data indicates approximately 10% of children encounter online pornography by age 10, rising to nearly 30% by age 13.

Concerns:

  • Civil liberties advocates have raised concerns about data privacy and permanent linking of sensitive user data to online activity.
  • Sex worker advocacy groups expressed concerns that the laws could displace consumers to less regulated offshore sites.
  • Experts noted that facial age estimation technology has higher error rates for individuals near age thresholds, potentially incorrectly blocking or permitting access.

Privacy and Implementation Challenges

Common challenges identified across jurisdictions include unreliable age verification technology, privacy risks, and widespread circumvention efforts.

Multiple sources identified common challenges across jurisdictions:

  • Age verification technology: Error rates of one to three years for age estimation methods, with no single universally effective solution identified for all deployment scenarios.
  • Privacy concerns: Age verification requiring government-issued ID raises data security and privacy issues.
  • Circumvention: VPN usage and migration to less regulated platforms are reported methods users employ to bypass restrictions.
  • Definitional issues: Determining which platforms qualify as social media and what constitutes "reasonable steps" for compliance remains subject to legal interpretation.