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Australia is seeking to hold Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube accountable for potential violations of its strict under-16 social media ban. On Tuesday, the government accused these major technology companies of not complying with the nation’s groundbreaking laws.
In December, Australia imposed a ban on users under the age of 16 from accessing some of the world’s most popular social media platforms. The move aims to shield young users from harmful content involving sex and violence and to protect their mental health from manipulative algorithms.
Six months after the legislation took effect, the Australian online safety agency reports that a significant number of minors are still engaging with prohibited platforms.
“Australia’s progressive social media laws are effective; however, big tech companies are not following them,” stated Communications Minister Anika Wells. “We won’t tolerate these corporations taking us for a ride.”
The country’s eSafety Commission expressed serious concerns about platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
“Implementing these measures is entirely feasible,” Wells added. “These are multi-billion dollar, innovative companies that can meet the challenge. If they want to operate in Australia, they must abide by our laws.”
Decisions on penalties are expected by mid-2026, with potential fines reaching up to $33.9 million. Since the laws’ enactment, over five million accounts belonging to underage Australian users have been removed.
Research increasingly links excessive online activity to negative impacts on adolescent well-being. The ban has been welcomed by parents frustrated by their children’s excessive phone use, and it is attracting interest from other nations—including Malaysia, France, New Zealand, and Indonesia—that are considering similar measures.
While social media firms have pledged compliance, they warn that such restrictions might drive teenagers into darker, less regulated parts of the web.
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, acknowledged that verifying user ages is a widespread industry challenge. They committed to investing more resources into enforcement efforts aimed at identifying and removing accounts of users under 16.
Snapchat also affirmed its dedication to adhering to the law and revealed that it has already locked 450,000 underage accounts. TikTok declined to comment, and YouTube did not respond to inquiries.
Ultimately, these companies are responsible for verifying the age of Australian users. They are expected to demonstrate that they are taking “reasonable steps” to prevent minors from accessing age-restricted content, though the specifics of what constitutes reasonable remain unclear. Some platforms plan to utilize AI for age estimation based on photos, while others may require users to upload government-issued IDs.
Reddit has challenged Australia’s ban legally, claiming it is “legally flawed.” The platform raised concerns about privacy and data security risks associated with user age verification and has yet to have its case heard in the High Court.
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