New legislation has passed through Parliament, setting a minimum age limit for social media platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 amends the Online Safety Act 2021 and requires ‘age-restricted social media platforms’ to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 years from having accounts on their platforms.
Social media platforms operating in Australia have 12 months to develop and roll out systems to enforce the age restrictions, which are expected to be in place by the end of 2025.
The eSafety Commissioner will work with industry to ensure compliance with the laws, with strict privacy protections to be implemented to protect Australians through the process of age assurance.
This Bill is part of a broader set of reforms, including a new Digital Duty of Care which was announced on 13 November, and will place a legal obligation on digital platforms to take proactive steps to protect all Australians.
Find out more
- Read the Minister’s media release.
- Read our fact sheet on the new legislation
- Learn more about the eSafety Commissioner