Australia’s upcoming ban on social media use for under-16s is being hailed by the country’s internet regulator as the first in a potential wave of global measures aimed at reining in Big Tech. Ahead of the law taking effect on December 10, Meta’s platforms — Instagram, Facebook, and Threads — have already begun deactivating hundreds of thousands of accounts.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, speaking at the Sydney Dialogue cyber summit on Thursday, said the move is a response to the “blunt-force” and harmful design features of social media platforms, which exploit user data and manipulate engagement. She initially questioned the effectiveness of banning minors outright, but now sees it as necessary after incremental regulations failed to curb risks.
“We’ve reached a tipping point,” Inman Grant said. “Our data is the currency that fuels these companies, and there are these powerful, harmful, deceptive design features that even adults are powerless to fight against. What chance do our children have?”
The law, which carries fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million) for non-compliance, has prompted a swift response from major platforms, including TikTok, Snap’s Snapchat, and Alphabet’s YouTube. Platforms began alerting users under 16 to download photos and contacts and offered the choice to delete accounts or freeze them until the user turns 16.
According to eSafety, 96% of Australian teenagers under 16 — over a million of the country’s 27 million residents — have social media accounts. Some parents welcomed the move. “It’s a great thing and I’m glad that the pressure is taken off the parents because there are so many mental health implications,” said Sydney mother Jennifer Jennison.
Inman Grant also revealed that the lobbying efforts by Big Tech reached the U.S. government, which reportedly invited her to testify before Congress over what it described as an attempt to assert extraterritorial influence on American free speech. “By virtue of writing to me and asking me to appear before the committee, that’s also using extra-territorial reach,” she said, without confirming whether she would attend.
The Australian law is now under international scrutiny, with experts suggesting it could set a precedent for other countries considering tighter regulations on youth access to social media.
