Australia introduces historic minimum age for social media usage

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Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has officially started monitoring and enforcing the country’s new minimum age of 16 for social media accounts.

Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the policy is a major step forward for online safety, giving young people a break from addictive platform features and harmful content. She stressed that while the rule won’t solve every problem, it forms an important part of Australia’s broader safety framework — alongside education, complaint services, industry oversight, and Safety by Design standards.

Australians are encouraged to visit eSafety.gov.au for resources, including a new hub for parents, teachers, and teens.

From today, eSafety’s role moves from preparation to enforcement. Platforms must use age-assurance tools for both new and existing accounts, and reviews or appeals may take days or weeks. Multiple checks may also be applied over time.

If eSafety detects widespread non-compliance, it can take action — including penalties of up to $49.5 million.

The agency will monitor platforms through various channels, issue information notices where needed, and publicly share enforcement outcomes once investigations are complete.

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