On November 29, 2024, the Australian Parliament passed legislation establishing 16 as the minimum age for access to certain social media platforms.

Covered social media companies are required to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from holding accounts. Responsibility is placed on platforms rather than children or their parents, with systemic breaches potentially resulting in penalties of up to AUD 49.5 million.

The measure was introduced amid concerns about the impact of social media on children. It does not impose a blanket restriction on all online services, such as messaging, online gaming, health and education services. The legislation received Royal Assent on December 10, 2024.

Comment form GAME-F

A major feature of this legislation is that responsibility for children's online safety is placed not only on families, but also on the platforms themselves.

The debate over children's digital use is expanding beyond screen time to include age, service design, algorithms and effects on daily life.

The focus is shifting from “How should we control children's use?” to “How should we design the digital environments children use?”

References

Australian Government — Social media reforms to protect our kids online pass Parliament

Federal Register of Legislation — Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024