“You’ve gotta fight, for your right, to...” Instagram and X: Australian teens fight ban on social media
From next month, age-restricted social media platforms must take reasonable steps to prevent Australian teenagers from creating or keeping an account.
From Wednesday December, 10 2025, several age-restricted social media platforms will have to take measures to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating or keeping an account.
The Online Safety Amendment Bill, the first of its kind, was passed by both houses in December 2024 and became law last Friday after being passed by Australia’s parliament.
The new restrictions aim to “protect young Australians from pressures and risks that users can be exposed to while logged in to social media accounts - content that can harm their health and wellbeing”.
Which social media platforms will become age -restricted in Australia?
A preliminary list of 10 platforms which will become age-restricted from next month includes: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and YouTube, among others.
These companies could face fines of up to $33 million (50 million Australian dollars) for failing to prevent under-16s from holding accounts on their platforms.
Age-restricted social media platforms on Australia's eSafety list
- Snapchat
- Threads
- TikTok
- Twitch
- X (formerly Twitter)
- YouTube
- Kick
The ban is being challenged in Australia’s high court. Two teenagers, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, both 15, argue that the law is unconstitutional because it denies them their right to free communication.
“We shouldn’t be silenced. It’s like [George] Orwell’s book ’1984′, and that scares me,” Neyland said in a statement.
Jones added: “We are the true digital natives and we want to remain educated, robust, and savvy in our digital world... They should protect kids with safeguards, not silence.”
Legal challenge formally filed
The Digital Freedom Project (DFP), the campaign group who want to see the social media ban overturned, filed a challenge with the high court on Wednesday on behalf of Neyland and Jones.
Minister for Communications and Minister for Sport Anika Wells says that the government will not be swayed. “We will not be intimidated by threats. We will not be intimidated by legal challenges. We will not be intimidated by big tech. On behalf of Australian parents, we will stand firm,” she said.
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