Australia has officially become the first nation in the world to ban children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, ushering in a dramatic new chapter in global tech regulation that mixes safety, privacy, enforcement, and controversy.
Effective 10 December 2025, the landmark law ,part of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act ,legally requires platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, X, Twitch, Threads, and Kick to prevent users under the age of 16 from creating or using accounts
