Tech giants Meta and TikTok said they would comply with Australia’s new law banning users under 16 from social media, but both warned that the unprecedented rules could be extremely difficult to enforce.
Starting December 10, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok must remove users under 16, in what is considered one of the world’s strictest online age restrictions. Regulators worldwide are closely watching to see if Australia can make it work.
“Put simply, TikTok will comply with the law and meet our legislative obligations,” said Ella Woods-Joyce, TikTok’s Australia policy lead, during a Senate hearing on October 28. However, she cautioned that such a “blunt” ban could drive young users toward “darker corners of the Internet where protections don’t exist.”
Meta’s policy director Mia Garlick echoed the concern, saying the company faced “significant new engineering and age assurance challenges” as it works to remove hundreds of thousands of underage accounts before the deadline.
Officials clarified that platforms are not required to verify every user’s age, but must take “reasonable steps” to identify and deactivate underage accounts. Those found in violation could face fines of up to A$49.5 million (RM153 million).
Tech firms have criticized the new law as “vague,” “problematic,” and “rushed.” YouTube said the legislation was well-intentioned but “poorly thought through,” arguing it would be “extremely difficult to enforce” and may not effectively make children safer online.
Australia’s online safety regulator has also hinted that other platforms — including WhatsApp, Twitch, and Roblox — could fall under the same restrictions.
