There have been new additions to the restricted sites included in Australia's "social media ban", ahead of the 10 December 2025 start date.

Reddit and streaming-platform Kick have been added to the list of platforms under 16s will be prohibited from accessing.

The Federal Government has also shared regulatory guidance that explains some of the rules and expectations that social media platforms will have to adhere to.

Although, there is still ambiguity around the ban; there are questions around which platforms are included and how social platforms will determine the age of their users. Here is what we currently know about the under 16s social media ban, and what we don't.

The policy and rules are still developing

Initial discussions listed that the ban applied to Facebook, TikTok, Instagram (including Threads) and Snapchat. It was later announced that children under 16 will also be barred from Youtube.

Although YouTube was originally thought to be exempt from the forthcoming ruling on an educational basis, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant in June wrote to new Communications Minister Anika Wells formally recommending it be scrapped back in June, saying that young people use the platform more than any other social media site.

"When we asked where they were experiencing harm and the kinds of harms they were experiencing, the most prevalent place where young Australians experienced harm was on YouTube — almost 37 per cent," Dr Inman Grant said.

The list has now been expanded to include Reddit and Kick, the latter of whcih is an Australian live-streaming platform that was devised to rival the US platform, Twitch.

Both platforms were informed by eSafety that they would likely be included in the ban, and were given an opportunity to reason why they should not be. The government then made a final decision on these submissions.

It appears that Linkedin may be excluded, as professional networking sites and platforms will skirt the ban. Whether the ban also applies to Twitter (currently known as X) or curation tools like Pinterest and Tumblr remains to be seen.

According to the ABC, "Messaging apps," "online gaming services" and "services with the primary purpose of supporting the health and education of end-users" will not fall under the ban.

According to The Conversation, the Government was initially considering an exception for "low-risk" platforms. But there has been no further definition around what actually constitutes "low-risk".

Social media platforms will not be required to verify age – only to take "reasonable steps"

There have been many questions around how social media platforms will verify the age of their users. But according to the new regulatory guidance, social media networks will not be required to formally verify the age of every user on the platforms. They will also not be required to meet a minimum standard in regards to how many teenagers are removed or deactivated.

But, the platforms must take "reasonable steps" to removed the accounts of anyone under 16. While there are examples in the regulatory guidance, it's not clear cut what "reasonable steps" can and will mean. There is also no set standard for accuracy. Regardless, courts can impose fines of up to $49.5 million for platforms that don't comply with these "reasonable steps".

We had previously learned that social media companies were not allowed to force users to provide government identification including a digital ID to prove their age. So, it is still unclear as to how social media platforms will be able to determine the age of their users.

We had previously been told that the ban will use "age assurance" technology. This an umbrella term that covers a range of technologies designed to determine a user's age. Examples are laid out in the new regulatory guidance such as age estimation and age inference.

As part of the process of preparing for the ban, the Australian Government launched an "age assurance trial" in partnership with the UK's Age Check Certification Scheme to test various technologies. It's not clear exactly what this means, but the scheme in question specialises in age verification, from traditional methods like ID checks, to modern AI technology that can estimate a person's age by reading their facial features.

What does this look like for existing account holders?

This is the part that is unclear at this stage, despite the regulatory guidance—but we do know that users under 16 who have accounts are not exempt and technically should be removed.

The current age limit for Instagram for example is 13, but as any Instagram account user would know, it is very easy to get around the current flimsy restrictions in place. This means there are currently thousands of social media accounts that belong to children under 16.

Since there will be no grandfathering arrangement, and anyone under 16 with an existing account technically needs to have theirs shutdown. It will be the responsibility of companies like Meta to ensure that anyone under 16 is identified and removed.

Will that mean that all existing account holders over 16 will need to show a proof of age in order to keep their accounts? Or will broadly applied age assurance software scan all our content to make a determination of age? We do know that the "age assurance" cannot rely solely on self-declaration, so there will have to be some other mechanism.

It's likely that each platform will have a different response and different solution.

The new regulatory guidance does make it clear that social media platforms will be expected to removed under age users or deactivate their accounts. Given the age assurance process is not completely accurate, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has been transparent in acknowledging some accounts belonging to people under 16 will slip through.

It is also likely that some accounts belonging to those over 16 could be mistakenly deactivated. The regulatory guidance has said any account removal has to come with "clear communication". This implies that you will be notified if and why your account is removed.

The social media platforms will also need to "provide accessible review mechanisms" to allow users to be able to query and reverse decision if they are made in error.

It is still unclear if the platforms will delete the content on an account if it is removed as part of the age restriction.

When will the age restrictions come into place?

From December 10, 2025. This is roughly 10-12 months from November 2024, when the law was passed.

The delay in implementation was to allow for further refinement of the rules and expectations and to allow the social media platforms time to adjust to the new guidelines.

How will the social media ban be enforced?

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has indicated that there will be penalties for the social media companies if they do not effectively comply with the new ban for children under 16. Specifically, companies will be fined up to $50 million for systematically breaching age verification laws

It will ultimately be the platforms that are responsible for policing the age limit. Some experts have suggested that new account users will be required to show identification or proof of age in order to open an account.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that parents and children will not be penalised individually if they break the ban.

Why is this happening?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cited poor mental health as his primary concern when discussing the reason for the law.

But of course, there are mixed views on this point.

Some mental health experts are in favour of the law. But there is a significant number of experts who believe this is the wrong move - including Reach Out Australia.

Additionally, social media is a significant source of news for young people and restricting their access could be seen as a way to restrict their access to information.

Others have questioned why the Australian Government sees those under 16 as too young for social media, but the criminal age of responsibility is as young as 10 in some states and territories.

Google, YouTube's parent company, has threatened legal action

Despite legal threats from Google, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said The Government isn't "intimidated."

"We want Australian parents and families to know that we have got your back. We know this is not the only solution and there's more to do. But it will make a difference," Albanese said on July 30.

"We know as well that there are those who will say 'young people will find their way around it. That's not a reason to stop the other laws that we put in place about alcohol consumption, or about purchasing of tobacco, or other areas where governments act to identify clearly what are the communities' expectations."

The Australian Federal Government passed its social media ban for under 16s – and with bipartisan support —  on Parliament's last sitting day of the year for 2024. The Greens and a handful of Independent candidates voted against the law, calling for more time and analysis before the snap decision.

Under the law, tech companies could be fined $50 million if they are found not to have taken "reasonable steps" to keep children under 16 off their platforms. The networks included in the ban (that we know) of are TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. It is unclear whether networks like Pinterest or Tumblr will be included too.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said of the ban: “Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it."

“I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online, and I want Australian parents and families to know that the government has your back.

“I want parents to be able to say: ‘Sorry, mate, it’s against the law’.”

More to come.