Especean

Wellbeing - Whole School

Update on Social Media Ban - December 2025

Source: eSafety Commission

 

From 10 December 2025, age-restricted social media platforms will have to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating or keeping an account.

 

The restrictions aim to protect young Australians from pressures and risks that users can be exposed to while logged into social media accounts. These come from design features that encourage them to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing.

 

While no formal assessments have been made, the age restrictions are likely to apply to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, among other platforms. Online gaming and standalone messaging apps are among a number of types of services that have been excluded under the legislative rules.

 

More generally, age restrictions will apply to social media platforms that meet three specific conditions, unless they are excluded based on criteria set in out in legislative rules made by the Minister for Communications The Hon. Anika Wells in July 2025.

 

The conditions for age restriction are:

  • the sole purpose, or a significant purpose, of the service is to enable online social interaction between two or more end-users

  • the service allows end-users to link to, or interact with, some or all of the other end-users

  • the service allows end-users to post material on the service.

 

The eSafety Commission has recently provided schools with further details about the upcoming age restrictions being placed on social media services across Australia to take steps to prevent under 16s from having accounts. The relationship between social media and children’s mental health is one of the most important conversations of our time. 

Here's what parents and carers need to know right now: 

  1. It’s not a ban, it’s a delay. We’re giving kids more time to build digital skills and resilience before facing the pressures of social media.   

     

  2. The responsibility lies with the platform. There are no penalties for children or parents/carers—only for platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to prevent under 16 year olds from having accounts.   

     

  3. You’re not alone. eSafety offers trusted resources and safety tips for parents and carers, and young people. 

     

  4. Protective powers in areas such as cyberbullying and image-based abuse will still be there to help if things go wrong.  

     

Australia is building a culture of online safety. Because the internet, like the ocean, is not going away – and our kids are already dipping their toes in. To stay up to date on social media age restrictions, visit eSafety.gov.au.  

 

Alexandros Sinadinos                                                                    Robert Simpson

Director of Middle School                                                               Director of Senior School