What to know about Australia's new social media ban

The social media ban will come into effect in a year's time.

Children under the age of 16 will be banned from using social media under a new government proposal. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett

Children under 16 will be banned from social media in Australia after the world-first legislation passed parliament late on Thursday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law aimed to reduce the harm of platforms such as Facebook and TikTok.

But concerns have been raised that young people have not been consulted about the restrictions, which will come into effect in 12 months' time.

The definition of a "messaging app" was brought into question during a Senate inquiry into the bill:

What is the social media ban?

Social media platforms will need to take steps to ensure that people under 16 do not sign up for accounts.

• Platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, are expected to have age limits placed on users.
  
• But Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom and YouTube will not be part of the ban as they are considered "out-of-scope".

Companies that breach the minimum age obligation will face fines of up to $49.5 million, and parents will not be able to give their consent to allow under 16s to use the platforms.

Why is the social media ban being brought in?

"This one's for the mums and dads," Albanese said as he announced the age limit in Canberra earlier in November.

"Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it."

He said families were concerned about the impact of social media on young people.

A YouGov poll suggested widespread support for the ban.

What else is being said about the social media ban?

• The negative impacts of social media can be seen at primary schools, according to Australian Primary Principals Association president Angela Falkenberg, who added this included "online harassment, bullying, inappropriate image sharing, and excessive screen time, all of which can harm their sleep, learning, and relationships".
  
• A YouGov poll found 77 per cent of Australians backed the under-16 social media ban.
  
• The Australian Human Rights Commission said it had "serious reservations" about the ban, saying that while was designed to protect children from harm, it would likely have negative human rights impacts on young people.
  
• Children and Young People with Disability Australia CEO Skye Kakoschke-Moore said: "Social media can be a lifeline for young people with disability, providing one of the few truly accessible ways to build connections and find community."

What have tech companies said about the social media ban?

TikTok's owner ByteDance said there was a lack of clarity in the legislation, adding: "Where novel policy is put forward, it's important that legislation is drafted in a thorough and considered way, to ensure it is able to achieve its stated intention."

Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, urged against putting the onus on social media companies to enforce the proposed age limit, saying the technology for a perfect solution "isn't quite there yet".

Elon Musk, owner of X, suggested the bill was a "backdoor way to control access to the Internet".

What are other countries doing about social media?

The UK has discussed a similar ban on social media for people under 16. The country's technology secretary was asked about the country following Australia's lead and said "everything is on the table with me" in an interview with the BBC.

The European Union introduced legislation banning under 16s from online services without parental consent in 2015, but allowed countries to opt out of the age ban.

— With additional reporting from Reuters and the Australian Associated Press.