Australia will enforce new online safety laws on December 10, banning children under 16 from using major social platforms. Communications Minister Anika Wells confirmed that Reddit and Kick have joined Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube on the restricted list.
The government now requires all nine platforms to remove or block underage users. Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (€28.3 million).
“We have met with the platforms, and there are no excuses for noncompliance,” Wells said in Canberra. “These companies use advanced tools to target children; we expect them to use the same technology to protect them.”
eSafety Commissioner to Oversee Enforcement and Impact
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant will lead the enforcement of the law and monitor its broader effects. The restricted platforms share a primary function of enabling online social interaction, according to a government statement.
Inman Grant said she will collaborate with researchers to assess how the ban affects young people’s behavior. “We’ll study whether children sleep better, spend more time outdoors, or interact more socially,” she said. “We’ll also look for unintended outcomes and collect data that others can learn from.”
She added that the list of restricted platforms will continue evolving as new technologies emerge.
Global Attention and Debate Over Privacy
Australia’s decision has drawn global attention from governments and experts. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the move in September, calling it a “common-sense” measure to protect children online. Denmark’s ambassador to Australia, Ingrid Dahl-Madsen, said her country would examine the policy as it considers similar safeguards.
However, critics argue that enforcing the age ban could compromise privacy for all users, since platforms must verify ages more strictly. More than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, warning that the policy is “too blunt an instrument” to manage online risks effectively.
Wells assured the public that the government will protect user data while enforcing the rules. “We want to keep Australians safe online without sacrificing their privacy,” she said.
Australia’s landmark legislation now sets a global precedent as nations watch how the age restrictions reshape digital access for children and online privacy standards for everyone.
