Australia’s youth social media ban faces pushback from Meta, TikTok, and Snap—yet all three agree to comply as new rules take effect by the end of this year!
In a move that signals both resistance and resignation, Meta (parent of Facebook and Instagram), TikTok, and Snap have publicly opposed Australia’s sweeping new rule banning users under 16 on their platforms, yet confirmed they will comply when it takes effect on December 10, 2025.
Under the legislation passed this year, social-media platforms must take ‘reasonable steps’ to block users under the age of 16 in Australia. Failure to comply could result in fines as high as A$49.5 million (around US$32.5 million).
The ban applies to major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
What are the platforms saying?
Tech titans Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram), TikTok, and Snap (owner of Snapchat) have officially told an Australian parliamentary inquiry that they oppose the government's plan.
Their main argument? The ban simply won't work.
Meta’s policy director for Australia & New Zealand, Mia Garlick, said the company still “doesn’t agree” with the ban, yet they will approach roughly 450,000 Australian accounts they’ve identified as being under 16 and offer options such as data deletion or temporary storage until users turn 16.
TikTok’s Australian public-policy lead, Ella Woods-Joyce, echoed the sentiment: the platform will comply but believes the ban might push young people into less safe corners of the internet. They estimate about 200,000 under-16 accounts in Australia.
Snap said it identified approximately 440,000 under-16 accounts and is still refining its appeals process for users who believe they were wrongly flagged. Their senior VP, Jennifer Stout, stated via video link: “We don’t agree, but we accept and we will abide by the law.”
But despite these strong oppositions and warnings of a digital migration to riskier platforms, the tech giants made one thing clear: if this ban becomes Australian law, they won't fight it! All three companies confirmed they will comply with the mandate.
The Final Impact!
With just over a month until the ban on popular social media platforms takes effect, all eyes are on how smoothly the platforms manage compliance and whether any loopholes or enforcement failures emerge.
Meta, TikTok, and Snap are fighting the law in theory, but falling in line in practice. As December looms, the rollout will test not only age-gates and compliance systems, but the broader question of whether such bans genuinely offer protection, or simply drive young users underground.
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