Teens under the age of 16 lost their social media accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as the government ordered tech companies to remove such accounts or face a fine
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday said that the country has “taken control back” from powerful tech giants as the ban on social media for teens started to take effect.
“This is world-leading. This is Australia showing enough is enough. It is about our families taking back control,” Albanese said in a speech as the world-first laws came into effect.
Today, we have officially banned social media accounts for under 16s. pic.twitter.com/9Ap5mZfNoq
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 9, 2025
Teens under the age of 16 lost their social media accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as the government ordered tech companies to remove such accounts or face a fine.
Hundreds of thousands of adolescents are impacted, with Instagram alone reporting about 350,000 Australian users aged 13 to 15. Not every Australian has to prove their age, only those suspected of falling foul of the ban. And young users are still able to access some social media without logging in – they just cannot register for their own accounts.
Which apps are banned?
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok are included, as are streaming platforms like Kick and Twitch.
YouTube was also added, despite the government initially suggesting it would be exempt, so children could still access online lessons.
Other popular apps and sites, including Roblox, Pinterest and WhatsApp, remain exempt for now, though the list is still under review.
How have companies reacted?
While most tech companies have complied with the new Australian law, they have warned of counterproductive results.
Meta said on Wednesday that Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s is sending youngsters to less regulated platforms, making them less safe.
“We’ve consistently raised concerns that this poorly developed law could push teens to less regulated platforms or apps. We’re now seeing those concerns become reality,” the US company said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s X would comply with Australia’s world-leading crackdown, saying, “It’s not our choice – it’s what the Australian law requires.” X was the last of 10 restricted social media platforms to set out how it will implement Australia’s ban.
With inputs from agencies
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