As of December 10, 2025, people under the age of 16 have been banned from social media in Australia.
It's a measure put in place the Albanese Government, in accordance with its strategies on eSafety for young people, particularly surrounding the issues of bullying and the consumption of unsafe content.
More than six months since it came into effect, many are keen to understand how the ban is working. But a new report by the eSafety Commissioner suggests that not everyone is complying.
Here's what we know and what we don't.
More than 80% of children are still using social media
That's according to the first report by the eSafety Commissioner, based on data collected between March and April 2026.
Overall, the number of children who reported to using at least one social media platform dropped from 85.9% to 81.5% after three months of the ban. This was down to “ineffective implementation of age assurance measures by platforms”, with more than half the children surveyed reporting that their social media hadn't asked them to verify their age.
And concerningly, another finding from the report showed that the portion of parents who weren't aware of their child's social media use had increased by 10%.
Which platforms does the ban apply to?
As of 10 December 2025, the under 16s social media ban applies to:
- Kick
- Snapchat
- Threads
- TikTok
- Twitch
- The social network formerly known as Twitter
- YouTube
The ban does not apply to the following:
- Discord
- GitHub
- Google Classroom
- LEGO Play
- Messenger
- Roblox
- Steam and Steam Chat
- YouTube Kids
However this could change. Reddit is currently preparing to challenge its inclusion in the ban with a lawsuit that could be lodged to the High Court of Australia. It is likely some platforms could be removed from the banned list and some new ones could be added as the policy evolves.
How are social media platforms verifying age?
Each platform will has its own method.
The obvious one is looking at the date of birth on the account. Any account holder with a date of birth that places them under 16 will be automatically removed.
The process for the under 16s who have an inaccurate date of birth on their accounts is more complex. The only requirement from the Government is that the platforms take "reasonable steps" to ensure under 16s are removed and that Government ID cannot be used as the only way to verify age.
For example, Snap is reportedly using k-ID to verify ages. This company uses three methods: a yes/no message sent from a bank using ConnectID; scanning Government-issued ID and requesting a selfie which will be age-estimated.
It is expected that the other platforms will also use a mix of facial age matching and requesting Government IDs.
Another example is TikTok, which marked the start of the ban with a message to all users outlining updated terms of use. It read: "Users must now be 16 or older to use TikTok in Australia. We'll use your age information to confirm if you're old enough to use TikTok [...] By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service."
The Australian Government has been clear, it is the platforms' responsibility to verify the age of its users and remove anyone under age. There is a $49.5 million fine for non-compliance.
Some accounts will receive requests for a visual age check
The removal of under 16s accounts began at least two weeks prior to the ban taking place. Some account holders received requests to provide photos for a "visual age check".
As found in the report by the eSafety Commissioner in March and April 2026, teens have been able to circumvent this fairly easily so far. 18% reported platforms had incorrectly estimated via their age to be above 16 when prompted to take part in the visual age check. A further 37% said they had listed their age as 16 or above on their accounts and then been able to maintain access.
If you're under 16, will the entire contents of your account be deleted?
According to reports, Facebook and Instagram will offer underage users the option to download their photos and messages or simply putting their accounts on hold for when they do turn 16.
TikTok is giving users the ability to both deactivate or to delete their accounts. They will be able to archive their posts. Snapchat users should also be able to download their photos and communications. The account should be preserved for when they turn 16.
How is the ban going to be enforced? What happens to underage users who aren't removed?
So many of the detail around the ban are still open or unconfirmed as there is no one rule; and it is up to each platform to manage their own users in their own way.
However, we know that any underage users who retain their accounts will not be punished. The Government has placed the onus for removal solely on the platforms.
For those who has planned to get around the ban with a VPN, there is evidence that the platforms will be able to tell when one is being used. A VPN will likely not be a longterm solution to skirt the ban.
Will users over 16 will have to prove their age?
No. If your account is mistakenly removed, there will be an appeals process available on each platform. Meta has a facial assurance check which will require user to upload a video selfie – or it will ask for Government ID. TikTok will have several appeal methods which also include age estimate and Government ID. Snap users can provide a bank card.
