From the Leadership Team
Upcoming Social Media Laws: What This Means for Families
You may be aware that changes to Australia’s social media laws are coming into effect in December.
As partners in your child’s education and wellbeing, we want to ensure you understand what these changes involve and how you can support your child through the transition.
Below is a summary to guide you.
What do the new laws say?
From 10 December 2025, certain social media platforms must take reasonable steps to ensure users under the age of 16 do not hold accounts.
This is not a “ban” on social media for young people; rather, it introduces a mandatory minimum age requirement.
It is expected that many major platforms will fall under the category of age-restricted social media platforms, including:
- Snapchat
- TikTok
- YouTube
These platforms will be required to identify and remove accounts belonging to users under 16.
What is the intent behind the laws?
The purpose of the changes is to help protect young people from the potential harms of social media at a stage when their identity, resilience, and coping skills are still developing.
Do the laws impose obligations on schools, students, or parents/carers?
No. The legal obligations fall solely on social media companies.
Children under 16 cannot be penalised for accessing social media.
- Parents/carers cannot be penalised.
- Schools cannot be penalised.
Schools do not have a legal duty to monitor whether students have accounts on age-restricted platforms. While a school may report an under-16 account, it is not required to do so.
However, schools do retain their existing duty of care in relation to:
- cyberbullying
- online harassment
- harmful or inappropriate content
- These laws do not replace current child safety, anti-bullying, or behaviour policies.
Where can I find helpful resources?
The eSafety Commissioner has released excellent resources to support families.
The College endorses these materials:
Social Media Age Restrictions Hub
How can the College help?
If your child is finding these changes challenging or if their wellbeing is being affected, the College is here to support you. Please reach out to your child’s Head of Village or the College Counsellor for guidance as we navigate this transition together.
Peter Pearse
Deputy Principal