Social Media Minimum Age: A new law starting from 10 December means you will need to be 16 years old or over.
A new law starting from 10 December means you will need to be 16 years old or over to have access to a social media account. Here’s what you need to know.
What is the new law?
- From 10 December 2025, age-restricted platforms in Australia must prevent people under 16 years from having a social media account.
- The law is not a ban on social media — it’s just a change to how old you have to be to sign up and keep or have an account.
Why is it happening?
- The changes aim to reduce the risk from harmful design features that make it hard to switch off from social media. It will help protect the health and wellbeing of young people under 16 years and give them more time to develop real world connections and digital literacy skills.
How will it work?
- Once the new law starts, platforms should deactivate accounts belonging to anyone under 16.
- They must also take steps to check the age of a person before they can sign up for an account.
- This is not about punishing parents or young people. Social media platforms will face large penalties if they do not comply with the new law, but there are no penalties for under-16s, or for their parents or carers.
- Age-restricted platforms will include TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, Threads, Kick and Reddit. This list of age-restricted platforms is dynamic and will continue to change.
- It is expected that age-restricted platforms will communicate with their account holders directly about how they will apply reasonable steps to verify users are not under 16 years.
What does this all mean?
- From 10 December, you need to be 16 or over to have access to a social media account. Young people will still be able to stay social and connected to family and friends in other ways.
- Under-16s can still use platforms that have the sole or primary purpose of messaging and online gaming.
- Under-16s can also use services that are primarily for education and health support, and also professional networking and development services.
What do I need to do?
For parents and carers:
- It’s important to talk openly about the social media minimum age changes to help your family prepare for the change.
For young people and those under 16:
- You don’t have to do anything. Age-restricted platforms are responsible for making sure they follow the new law. They should deactivate any existing accounts for under-16s and monitor new sign-ups.
- You can find details, advice and support to help you and your family prepare at eSafety.gov.au. This includes information on how to download data, photos and videos from your existing social media accounts.
