KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) — Australia begins enforcing its world-first ban on social media for children under 16, with the legislation officially coming into full effect on Wednesday (Dec 10).
The move marks a significant shift in global digital governance, setting a benchmark for how governments worldwide may intervene to safeguard young users online.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the move as essential to ensuring “children have a childhood”, with federal laws now requiring social media platforms to take reasonable steps to block underage accounts.
The new law, known as the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, was passed by the Australian Parliament in November last year. Platforms subject to the ban include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit and YouTube.
Under the legislation, the responsibility for compliance rests entirely on technology companies rather than parents or young users. Corporations that fail to enforce the age restriction face systematic penalties, with fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$32 million). There are no penalties for children who bypass the restrictions or for their parents.
Exemptions Under The New Law
While the ban covers mainstream social media feeds, several exemptions have been introduced to ensure young users retain access to essential online services.
Messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Messenger Kids, educational tools like Google Classroom and YouTube Kids, as well as online gaming platforms and mental health support services, remain accessible.
The Australian government said the measures aim to mitigate the adverse effects of social media on the mental health and development of young people.
The move has drawn global attention, with other nations monitoring its implementation and its impact on digital safety.
Major technology companies have already begun compliance efforts. Some media reports indicate that Meta has started deactivating accounts belonging to users under 16 on Instagram and Facebook earlier this week.
These platforms are expected to deploy age-assurance technologies, including artificial intelligence and facial-age estimation tools, to verify users and block those below the minimum age. Users under 16 attempting to access these platforms will now encounter notifications stating their accounts have been restricted or deactivated.
Malaysia’s Next Steps
Putrajaya’s approach under the Online Safety Act signals a move toward mandatory digital identification to curb underage access.
Malaysia is currently laying the groundwork for a similar, and in some ways stricter, prohibition slated for 2026.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil recently said the ministry is working closely with the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, to implement the Act.
He said the Act allows fines of up to RM10 million, but the ministry is still reviewing appropriate enforcement mechanisms, drawing on examples from other countries, including Australia.
Under Malaysia’s proposal, platforms will be required to block account creation for users under 16 unless they can verify their age using government-issued identification.
As Malaysia refines its regulatory framework, the coming years will test how effectively these age-assurance models balance safety, privacy and accessibility for young users.
As governments work to strengthen safeguards for young users, the success of these policies will depend on how well they balance technological capabilities, user privacy, and practical enforcement.
The developments in both countries are expected to shape future regional and international discussions on digital safety.
— BERNAMA