Australia may become the first country to ban social media for those under 16 starting December 2025, drawing global attention, the Telegraphindia.com reported.
On Tuesday, the country’s eSafety commissioner called on social media companies to adopt «minimally invasive» tools to verify users’ ages. Platforms won’t be required to apply universal age checks; instead, they may rely on existing data to make accurate assessments, Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
The watchdog reported that, in Australia, 95% of teens aged 13 to 15 used at least one social media platform since January 2024, though the actual figure is likely higher.
Lawmakers approved the ban in November 2024, citing concerns about social media’s impact on teens’ mental health. The law requires companies to terminate accounts for users under 16 by Dec. 10, 2025.
