Australia Puts Big Tech on Notice: New Rules Coming for Kids’ Social Media Access
In a landmark move to protect young people online, the Australian government is taking decisive action on social media access for children. Instead of immediately imposing strict legislation, the government has issued a clear ultimatum to tech giants like Meta, TikTok, and Google: create your own robust system for age verification, or we will create one for you.
This decision places the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the platforms that dominate our digital lives. Big Tech has been given a 12-month deadline to develop a mandatory, industry-wide code designed to prevent children under the age of 14 from creating social media accounts and to require parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds.
If the industry fails to produce a sufficiently strong and effective framework within this timeframe, the government has made it clear it will not hesitate to step in with binding legislation.
The Core Challenge: Enforcing Age Limits in a Digital World
For years, parents, educators, and mental health experts have raised concerns about the impact of social media on developing minds. While most platforms have nominal age limits (typically 13), enforcement has been notoriously weak. Children can often bypass these restrictions simply by entering a false date of birth.
The new initiative aims to replace these ineffective honor systems with meaningful “age assurance” technology. The challenge lies in creating a system that is both effective and privacy-preserving. This new code will compel social media companies to:
- Implement robust age verification systems to accurately determine a user’s age at the point of sign-up.
- Prevent underage users from accessing their platforms.
- Obtain parental consent for teenagers aged 14 and 15.
This is a significant shift from self-policing to a co-regulatory model, where the industry is given the first opportunity to solve the problem under the watchful eye of Australia’s eSafety Commissioner.
What This Means for Australian Families
This development signals a major step forward in creating a safer online environment for Australian children. For parents, it marks the beginning of a new era where the burden of policing a child’s online access may be shared more effectively with the platforms themselves.
The proposed age restrictions are a direct response to growing evidence of online harms, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and the negative mental health effects associated with excessive social media use. By holding tech companies accountable, the government aims to build stronger safeguards directly into the architecture of these powerful platforms.
Practical Steps for Parents to Take Right Now
While these industry-wide changes will take time to implement, there are immediate actions you can take to protect your children online. Creating a safe digital experience is a partnership between regulation, platform responsibility, and proactive parenting.
Talk Openly and Often: Establish an open dialogue with your children about their online activities. Discuss the risks, talk about what they see and who they interact with, and create an environment where they feel comfortable coming to you with any concerns.
Utilize Existing Parental Controls: Most devices, apps, and home Wi-Fi systems offer built-in parental controls. Take the time to set up these tools to filter content, manage screen time, and limit app usage according to your family’s values.
Review Privacy Settings Together: Sit down with your child and review the privacy and security settings on their existing accounts. Ensure their profiles are set to private, limit who can contact them, and discuss the importance of not sharing personal information online.
Educate on Digital Citizenship: Teach your children to be responsible and respectful digital citizens. This includes lessons on identifying misinformation, understanding the permanence of their digital footprint, and treating others with kindness online.
The next 12 months will be a critical period for the technology industry in Australia. The world will be watching to see if Big Tech can rise to the challenge and build the safer digital future our children deserve.
Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/09/17/australia_kids_social_ban_guidance/
