Australia and Malaysia Move to Ban Social Media for Under-16s

The Australian government is implementing a world-first social media ban for children under 16, with accounts scheduled for deactivation by December 10, 2025. Communications Minister Anika Wells stated the goal is to give young people more time to develop their identities before platforms assume who they are. Platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, and YouTube face fines up to 50 million Australian dollars for systemic failures to block under-16 users. To prepare for the transition, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant launched a public education campaign for parents and youth.

While Meta and Google announced new safety features for Instagram and YouTube in response, Wells argued these updates prove such restrictions were always technically feasible. The government has warned it may expand the ban to exempt platforms like LinkedIn if teenagers migrate there to bypass restrictions. The policy faces a High Court challenge from 15-year-old Noah Jones and criticism from Shadow Communications Minister Melissa McIntosh, who called the rollout rushed.

Simultaneously, Malaysia is proposing a similar ban on social media for citizens under 16 and a smartphone ban for students in schools. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim introduced these measures following a fatal school stabbing in Selangor, citing the negative influence of online games and social media on student behavior. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that the ban would align with the Online Safety Act effective January 1, requiring providers to implement electronic-Know-Your-Customer identity verification. Malaysia is also increasing police presence in schools and cracking down on e-commerce sites selling illegal weapons.