Dealing with change from the social media ban
From 10 December 2025, social media accounts are restricted to Australians aged 16 and over. We know that lots of young people affected by these restrictions have mixed feelings about it, or even disagree with the decision. This is a big change and whatever you’re feeling is valid.
While there are lots of benefits to staying off of social media, it's also a big part of how many young people stay connected. You may be worried about how you’ll stay in touch with friends, or keep up to date with what’s going on in the world.
We’ve pulled together a few resources below to help you deal with these worries. For more detailed information about the restrictions, head to the eSafety social media restrictions hub.
Frequently asked questions about the social media ban
From 10 December 2025, social media accounts in Australia are only available to people aged 16 and over. This law was designed to help protect young people from online harms like cyberbullying and addictive features.
You and your parents won’t get in trouble if you have an account. Though this is a law, it targets the social media companies. So, if a user is discovered to be under 16, the social media platform will be fined and penalised, not the user. For more info, you can read eSafety’s compliance and enforcement policy or share it with your parents/guardians.
The restrictions cover platforms mainly used for social interaction and one-to-one messaging. This includes popular platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Check out the eSafety website for a full list of restricted platforms.
Platforms were required to remove all accounts belonging to users under 16 years old due to the Australian Social Media Minimum Age Restrictions.
Read more in eSafety’s frequently asked questions about how this impacts existing accounts if you’re under 16.
Your parents or guardians can’t give you permission to bypass the age restriction to create a new account or keep your existing account.
The government has stated that the goal of the restrictions is to balance young people’s right to communicate with their right to be safe and protected from serious online harms like grooming and cyberbullying. For more information about your rights, read eSafety’s Statement of Commitment to Children's Rights.
It’s completely valid to feel uncertain when navigating life without access to social media, especially if it plays a central role in how you stay in touch with friends and family. We’ve put together some resources that can help you deal with the changes from this social media ban.