The Big Tech Impact of Australia's Proposed Social Media Ban

The Australian government plans to implement legislation banning social media access for users under 16, signalling increased regulatory pressure on technology companies to prevent young people from accessing their platforms too young.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the measure on Thursday, which would affect social platforms including Facebook and Instagram, ByteDance's TikTok and X (formerly Twitter). The legislation could come into effect by the end of 2025.

"Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," the Prime Minister said during a news conference, indicating platforms must implement systems to prevent access by users under 16.

Global tech facing regulatory changes

Communications Minister of Australia, Michelle Rowland, confirms the ban would impact major social media operators, including potentially Alphabet’s YouTube. The measure follows similar restrictions implemented in other markets, with France proposing a ban for users under 15 in 2023, though French regulations permit access with parental consent.

In the US, technology companies have long been expected to obtain parental consent for data collection from users under 13, leading most platforms to implement age restrictions at this threshold.

In response to increasing social media bans and restrictions, several technology organisations have launched initiatives to address online safety and the impact of mental health on young users.

Meta, which operates the Facebook and Instagram platforms, has introduced features including "Take a Break" reminders and enhanced parental controls. These tools aim to address concerns about extended platform usage and content exposure.

The tech giant has also invested in content moderation to identify and remove material violating platform guidelines.

Likewise, TikTok has developed a feature called Family Pairing, enabling account linking between parents and children. This technology provides controls over screen time limits, direct messaging capabilities and content restrictions.

Alphabet's Google division operates YouTube Kids, a separate application designed for younger users. The platform incorporates parental oversight options and content controls.

The Australian legislation would require platforms to demonstrate implementation of "reasonable steps" to prevent access by users under 16. 

Anthony Albanese highlights specific concerns about content affecting young users: "If you're a 14-year-old kid getting this stuff, at a time where you're going through life's changes and maturing, it can be a really difficult time and what we're doing is listening and then acting."

Wider industry impact

Social media usage reached 4.9 billion users worldwide in 2024, with high adoption rates among teenagers and young adults. Such widespread adoption has prompted regulatory examination of platform safety measures and privacy controls for younger people.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership, an industry consortium including major technology platforms like Meta, Google and X, works to establish best practices for online safety and content moderation to address regulatory requirements.

Anthony Albanese emphasises that platform operators, not users or parents, must ensure compliance with the proposed regulations. "The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access," he says.

"The onus won't be on parents or young people."

The proposed Australian legislation represents an expansion of existing social media regulations. Current measures in various areas around the world are focusing on parental consent and content restrictions, while the proposed legislation would implement direct access prevention requirements.

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