AU Social Media Age Ban
Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024
World's first social media minimum age law. Platforms must prevent under-16s from holding accounts. Implementation depends on age assurance technology.
Jurisdiction
Australia
Enacted
Pending
Effective
Dec 10, 2025
Enforcement
eSafety Commissioner
Why It Matters
Most aggressive child safety intervention globally. If successful, may prompt similar laws elsewhere. If challenged successfully, may limit regulatory options.
Recent Developments
Effective Dec 2025. Reddit launched High Court challenge. Implementation guidance and age assurance standards still developing. The Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2026 (No. 83, 2026; assented September 11, 2026, in force September 12, 2026) doubled the maximum civil penalty for the minimum-age duties to 60,000 penalty units, broadened the Commissioner's power to obtain information about compliance and about whether a service is age-restricted, added powers to summon people for examination on oath, and fixed infringement notice amounts at one-fifth of the court maximum.
At a Glance
Who Must Comply
- Social media platforms
Obligations fall on:
Applicability thresholds:
Safety Provisions
- Platforms must prevent under-16s from creating accounts
- Age assurance requirements (technology TBD)
- Enforcement discretion during rollout period
Compliance & Enforcement
Key Dates
Dec 10, 2025
Law takes effect - platforms must begin age verification processes
Sep 12, 2026
Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2026 (No. 83, 2026) commences: maximum civil penalty doubled to 60,000 penalty units; eSafety examination powers added
Penalties
A$109.2M; criminal (up to 1yr)
View on map
Australia
Focus Areas
Cite This
APA
Australia. (2025). Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024.
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Last updated October 4, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.