Social media is always a lively topic of discussion. There’s no doubt that for many of us, social media has become integrated into our daily lives. It provides us with laughs, inspiration, connection, but it also comes with some of the tougher stuff like bullying or content we might not have wanted to see. This is the case especially for our children and young people.

The Federal Government’s social media ban may come as a relief for many of you who have been concerned about the impact of social media on your children and their friends.

Your child/young person you may be feeling upset, worried, or angry about these changes. They may have a lot of questions about how it will all work. No matter of your stance on the ban, the holidays is a great time to open up a conversation and try to understand their feelings and work together to navigate its impacts.

The following information maybe the questions that will most probably be asked of you and has been taken from Headspace.

What are the facts? Social media ban FAQs

Please note: the conversation around the social media ban is evolving and this page will be updated to reflect new updates as they are available.

What is the social media ban?

The Government has legislated that people under the age of 16 will not be able to sign up for social media accounts. To do so will be against the law.

Why are they doing this? 

The Government have said they are introducing the ban due to their concerns about the negative impact of social media on young people, in particular on their mental health and wellbeing. 

Who does the ban apply to? 

The legislation will apply to people under the age of 16 years in Australia at the time the legislation comes into effect. 

When will it happen? 

We aren't sure yet, but it will be at least a year on from when the legislation was passed. Because Parliament passed the legislation in November 2024, the ban itself won't come into effect until at least December 2025.

Can’t I just get my parent’s consent? 

No, parents (or other guardians) won't be able to give their consent for their young people to access social media before they are 16 years of age. 

If I already have an account, will I be kicked off? 

Even if you already have accounts, after the ban come into effect, anyone under 16 will not be allowed on certain social media platforms.  

What platforms are being banned?

While the specifics are still being confirmed, the ban is expected to impact most of the major platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. 

What are these exemptions I hear about? 

The Government has said that ‘education and health’ services (like headspace, Kids Helpline and Google Classroom) will be exempt, as well as messaging apps and online gaming services. YouTube will still also be accessible, because users can watch videos without first creating an account. However, the full list of exempted platforms is yet to be confirmed.  

How will they enforce it? 

Hate to say it…but again, this isn’t entirely clear at the moment. At a minimum the platforms will have to use some form of age verification. There are a lot of age verification trials and discussions happening but not one clear approach. The government has said that they want the responsibility to sit with the platforms and not young people and families…but we’re not sure what that means or how it will work yet.  

When the ban is in place, will there be a consequence if I lie about my age? 

We understand that it may be tempting to try and find ways around the ban and keep your current social media access. We don’t, however, encourage anyone to lie about their age. Saying you are over the age of 16 can expose you to adult content that can cause harm.

The government has stated that there will not be any punishments for young people or their parents if they break the law by using social media under the age of 16. The responsibility will be on the social media platforms to make sure they follow the rules.