The children’s rights organisation urged policy makers and global leaders to maintain focus on ensuring social media is safe for children as Australia’s ban, a world first, takes effect.
SYDNEY, 10 December – As Australia’s social media ban for under 16s kicks in, Save the Children welcomed the intent behind the ban but warned that laws based on age exclusion from social media are a blunt instrument.
The children’s rights organisation urged policy makers and global leaders to maintain focus on ensuring social media is safe for children as Australia’s ban, a world first, takes effect.
From 10 December 2025, Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill stipulates that anyone under 16 in Australia won’t be able to keep or make accounts on social media apps including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, X, Facebook and more.
The number of children with access to the internet around the world is on the rise and new digital technologies are constantly evolving. Although this comes with benefits, it can also leave children at an increased risk of harm.
In Australia, about 57 % of children and teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 have seen real violence online that disturbed them, according to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, while 25% in that age group have been the target of bullying or hurtful comments online.[1]
The eSafety Commissioner said Australia’s government had introduced the ban to protect ‘young Australians’ at a critical stage of their development, through world-first social media age restrictions.[2]
Social media companies companies like Meta have to stop under 16s from creating accounts or face fines of up to about US$50 million.
In a statement, Meta said that in order to comply with Australia’s social media age ban law they would begin removing access to Instagram, Threads, and Facebook for teens under 16 starting on 4 December and will block the creation of new accounts for under-16 teens while noting that teens off from their friends is not an answer.[3]
Rebecca Smith, Global Head of Child Protection, Save the Children, said:
“The digital world was not created with children’s safety in mind. While Save the Children welcomes this strong intent to keep children safe online, we urge policymakers to move beyond narrow access restrictions and make it mandatory for digital platforms and services to embed children’s safety in their tools and platforms.
“Policymakers should also adopt an inclusive approach, based on children’s rights, by putting children at the heart of decisions involving their digital futures, skills and wellbeing.”
Save the Children works in nearly 120 countries globally with key programmes in education, child protection, health, livelihoods and emergency response. The organisation focuses on children in hard-to-reach areas, conflict zones and disaster-stricken countries and tackles issues including cyber bullying and youth empowerment.
References:
[1] https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/young-people-social-cohesion/online-hate-bullying-violence
[2] https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions
Spokepersons
Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Global Media Manager: Asia
Amy.Lefevre@savethechildren.orgOut of hours (BST) contact
media@savethechildren.org.uk
