Australia Bans Kids Under 16 From Social Media Accounts

While the United States continues to debate whether tech companies should be held accountable for harming kids, Australia just took action and it's sending shockwaves through Silicon Valley.

Starting December 10, it is illegal for anyone under 16 to hold a social media account in Australia. The law, passed as part of the Online Safety Amendment Act, applies to platforms including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Snapchat, and more. That means teenagers in Australia will no longer be spending their formative years drowning in likes, filters, viral challenges, and algorithm-driven indoctrination.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a blunt message "We want kids to have the opportunity to enjoy their childhood… and we want parents to be empowered."

Finally, a government admits what American lawmakers refuse to confront social media is wrecking an entire generation.

According to Australia’s independent eSafety commissioner, platforms are now required to:

• Take “reasonable steps” to detect and remove users under 16

• Prevent underage re-registration (even via VPNs)

• Provide review pathways and mental health support for removed users

Platforms that refuse to comply face penalties of up to $32 million USD per violation. That’s a figure Big Tech will notice unlike the toothless warnings they’ve grown used to in Washington.

This bold move follows growing evidence that social media is having catastrophic effects on children’s mental health:

• A 2025 Pew Research Center report found that nearly half of American teens say social media has a mostly negative impact on people their age.

• A Gallup survey of 1,500 teens revealed that the average teen spends 4.8 hours a day on social media, with girls averaging 5.3 hours daily.

• Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) recently blasted tech CEOs in a Senate hearing, saying Big Tech “cares about one thing, and that’s profits.” She’s right and every parent knows it.

Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers talk in circles while 13-year-olds scroll past trans propaganda, suicide “support” chatbots, and Planned Parenthood ads disguised as “resources.”

Big Tech has created the most addictive, dangerous environment kids have ever faced and they’ve done it with zero liability, hiding behind Section 230 and lobbyist armies. For all the talk of “safety,” platforms have quietly allowed their tools to expose kids to predators, gender confusion, body dysmorphia, and mental health collapse.

Australia has shown what real leadership looks like. No endless hearings. No empty threats. Just action.

And the backlash? It’s already begun. Left-wing outlets are crying about “freedom” and “access to information.” But when your 12-year-old is spending five hours a day comparing herself to Instagram filters and getting advice from AI on how to hide an abortion, it’s not “freedom” it’s negligence.

America should follow suit. Parents are desperate for help. The data is undeniable. And every day Congress stalls, more kids are getting lost in the feed.

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