Australia has taken a major step in online child safety with the introduction of the Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) Law, marking the world’s first nationwide ban preventing users under the age of 16 from creating accounts on major social media platforms. The law, part of the Online Safety Amendment Bill 2024, is scheduled to take effect on December 10, 2025, and has already sparked global debate among tech companies, parents, experts, and young users.
What the New Law Requires
Under the new regulation, users in Australia must be 16 years or older to open or maintain an account on platforms including:
- YouTube
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- X (Twitter)
- Twitch and Kick
Unlike previous online safety frameworks, parental consent will not override the restriction. Enforcement rests solely on the companies, not children or parents, with fines reaching A$49.5 million for non-compliance.
The government argues the move is necessary to reduce exposure to cyberbullying, harmful content, and addictive algorithms. Communications Minister Anika Wells compared social media feeds to “behavioural cocaine,” calling them deliberately engineered to manipulate and retain young users.
YouTube’s Warning: “Kids Will Be Less Safe”
While YouTube confirmed it will follow the law, the platform publicly criticized the policy, claiming it may unintentionally put children at greater risk.
According to Google’s public policy team, the ban forces under-16 users into a logged-out viewing state, removing access to:
- Content filters
- Parental supervision tools
- Wellness features like Take a Break and bedtime reminders
- Ability to block or report harmful content using account-level controls
YouTube argues that safety features only work when a user is signed in. Without accounts, young users become harder to monitor and may seek riskier platforms or anonymity via VPNs.
A Divided Response
Supporters believe the policy will protect mental health and stop predatory design tactics targeting kids. Critics including legal challengers and digital rights groups argue the law is overreaching, unsupported by evidence, and may push teens toward unregulated online spaces rather than away from harm.
As the world watches, Australia’s bold experiment may shape the future of global online safety regulation success or backlash included.
