Filed in the High Court in November 2025 with two 15-year-old plaintiffs; argues the ban breaches the implied freedom of political communication; argument set for November 2026 alongside Reddit’s case
Australia Social Media Minimum Age Act
100%became law
Bad for your rightsLaw
In force since December 10, 2025; High Court challenges to be argued in November 2026
The world’s first under-16 social media ban, in force: ten platforms must keep minors out or face fines now up to A$109.2 million, and parental consent is no defense.
Latest update
Enforcement Act in force: fines doubled and eSafety can question people under oath
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Take action on this issueThe bill
Read the full billOfficial bill recordKey facts
- Where
- Australia
- Bill number
- Act No. 127 of 2024
- Status
- Law
- Takes effect
- December 10, 2025
- Threat
- High
- Last update
- September 12, 2026
Topics
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What it does
Passed in November 2024 and in force since December 10, 2025, the Act requires age-restricted platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from holding accounts, with penalties up to A$49.5 million, doubled to about A$109.2 million by a 2026 enforcement Act that also lets eSafety question people under oath. Parents cannot consent around it. The eSafety Commissioner has designated YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, Threads, and Kick as covered, and platforms verify age at signup, which reaches every user.
What’s at stake
This is the law the rest of the world cites: Canada's C-34, Denmark's plan, and the EU's digital-majority push all point at Australia as proof it can be done. The first national experiment in carding an entire population for social media is running now, and its enforcement record becomes everyone else's evidence.
Our take
Australia volunteered to show that keeping teenagers off Instagram requires checking everyone's papers, and governments watching call the demonstration a success by counting blocked accounts rather than the identity infrastructure left behind. Exported, this becomes the norm before the evidence is in.
Timeline
Enforcement Act in force: fines doubled and eSafety can question people under oathLatest
Ban took effect across ten designated platforms
High Court accepted the Digital Freedom Project’s constitutional challenge
Royal assent
Cleared Parliament
Passed the Senate, 34 to 19
Introduced
The record
Votes
- Senate: Final passage (34 to 19), November 28, 2024
Legal challenges
Filed in the High Court on December 12, 2025; asks the court to strike down the law or, failing that, remove Reddit from the list of age-restricted platforms; Reddit is complying while the case runs
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