In November 2024, the Australian government announced that social media are to be banned for those under 16. 'This one is for the Mums & Dads' is how Prime Minister Tony Albanese put it. He intends to ban:
Gaming & messaging providers like WhatsApp are not included at the moment, although there is plenty of evidence that underage gaming is a huge issue as well. Internet safety for children might actually be starting to happen. Dozens of countries are following with interest Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa to name a few.
It is not clear yet which platforms will be included in the Australian ban. The prime minister has said that Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and X are to be banned. Gaming and messaging platforms are exempt, as are sites that are accessed without an account. YouTube, for instance, is likely to be spared.
The new law is set to come into effect at the end of 2025, providing social media companies a 12-month period to develop and implement age verification systems. While specific methods are yet to be determined, the legislation requires platforms to implement age assurance to identify whether an account holder is under 16. The eSafety Commissioner will work with the industry to ensure compliance, with strict privacy protections to be implemented.
Albanese has acknowledged the debate is complex but steadfastly defended the bill. "We don't argue that its implementation will be perfect, just like the alcohol ban for [children] under 18 doesn’t mean that someone under 18 never has access – but we know that it’s the right thing to do,"
While federal action remains fragmented, progress is evident at the state level:
California: The Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, effective in 2024, requires businesses to assess and mitigate risks to children's privacy and safety in platform designs. Florida this year imposed a ban for users under 14 and required parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, but that law could face constitutional challenges.
State-Level Initiatives: States like Utah and Arkansas have introduced legislation requiring parental consent for minors accessing social media platforms.
Federal Efforts: Initiatives such as the Kids Online Safety Act are gaining momentum, indicating growing awareness of the need for cohesive national policies.
The EU continues to strengthen its regulatory framework: France has passed a law requiring parental consent for social media users under 15 and has been pushing for similar measures across the European Union.
Age of Consent: Parental consent is required for processing personal data of children under 16, with member states allowed to lower this threshold to 13.
Digital Services Act (DSA): This landmark regulation requires platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks, particularly those affecting children, and introduces heightened transparency obligations.
Around the world, efforts are stepping up to improve online safety. From Snapchat, and ROBLOX to GTA. For Kids, Tweens and Teens, the race is on to protect them and make big tech culpable for their actions.
It won't be easy to enforce, but it marks the biggest step in a decade for the illegal use of social media by minors. Remember, it is against the law for kids to use social media under the age of 13 according to their regulations as stated in the portals EULA, (end user license agreement). The plan is to penalise the provider, not the children of the parents for misuse.
The #1 Best Internet Safety Speakers
Draft Rules for Digital Personal Data Protection Act
The Indian government has introduced draft rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act was passed in 2023. These draft rules, released in January 2025, propose several measures to protect children's data online.
Parental Consent Requirement: Children under 18 will need verifiable parental consent to create social media accounts
Verification Process: Social media platforms and other data fiduciaries must implement measures to verify the identity and age of parents giving consent
Annual Assessments: Significant data fiduciaries will be required to conduct annual Data Protection Impact Assessments and audits
Data Deletion: Platforms must delete the personal data of inactive users after three years
Breach Notification: In case of a data breach, companies must inform the Data Protection Board within 72 hours
Key Differences from Other Countries Unlike Australia, which recently banned social media access for users under 16, India is not implementing an outright ban. Instead, the focus is on parental consent and data protection measures.
All these new laws are nothing more than virtue signalling say many, especially in Australia. The kids, most of whom have been using computers all their lives, will be able to set up a VPN connection in about 5 minutes flat. They can access websites as if they are located in another country.
The kids will quickly and easily bypass all the age restrictions, adding an element of challenge & fun to beat the system. The folks who will end up getting frustrated and having their time wasted on proving they are over 16 will be the oldies.
But that is not really the point!
Articles, Links &connections from the Internet Safety Talks site you might find interesting
Get the latest updates in your email box automatically.
Your nickname:
Email address:
Subscribe