As of 10 December 2025, some social media platforms are not allowed to let Australians under 16 have accounts.

The aim of the new law is to protect young people. Accounts expose you to features that are designed to grab your attention and keep you on your screen longer. These features can negatively impact your health and wellbeing.

If you’re under 16, access will now be restricted to some social media platforms. You will still be allowed to see publicly available social media content that doesn’t require logging into an account.

If you’re 16 or older, you may be required to prove your age to have an account with certain platforms.

The new law isn’t meant to punish you. There won’t be any penalties or fines for under-16s who have social media accounts, or their parents or carers.

But social media platforms must take steps to find and remove or deactivate accounts owned by under-16s, and prevent new ones being created. If the companies don’t take reasonable steps to do this, they will be breaking the law – and they can be penalised up to $49.5 million by a court.

⚠️ If you’re asked to pay a fine for being on social media while you’re under-16, it is a scam. Do not pay.
Check Scamwatch for more information.  

Staying connected under the age of 16

It’s a good idea to think about the communities you’re a part of and explore how you can best reach them.

Many platforms are not age-restricted under the new law. You can continue connecting with friends and families using accounts on these platforms no matter how old you are. 

For more information, including a list of age-restricted platforms, visit the eSafety Commissioner’s social media age restrictions hub.

If you’re feeling lonely or isolated, help is available. If you need someone to talk to:

Proving your age

Social media platforms are expected to have ways to stop users faking their age. This means you will need to prove you are 16 or older when creating accounts on age-restricted platforms.

Different social media platforms are using different methods to check age, so it’s important to trust only the information that each platform provides. They should let you know:

  • the age-check steps their account holders have to take
  • the information their account holders have to give
  • whether the platform is using another company to do its checks.

You may have the option to prove your age with a government-issued ID like a driver licence, passport, or birth certificate. However, social media platforms must always offer a reasonable alternative to a government-issued ID. 

If you’re 16 or over and your account is removed or deactivated by mistake, you should be able to request a review. Check the platform’s ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ pages for information on this process.