Child Safety
St Mary's Primary School is committed to the safety and welfare of all children, within a secure environment. All children have the right to be treated with respect and to be protected from abuse and harm.
Understanding New Social Media Laws — What Families Need to Know
In Australia, significant changes to the law about children and social media came into effect last year, which represents a major step forward in keeping our young people safer online.
From 10 December 2025, new legislation called the Social Media Minimum Age rules required major social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating or keeping an account on age-restricted platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Twitch, Reddit and others. This law was introduced through amendments to the Online Safety Act in late 2024 and platforms have been implementing changes throughout 2025 to comply with it.
These changes do not mean children under 16 are in trouble if they have social media accounts — the responsibility lies with the platforms, which could face significant fines (up to tens of millions of dollars) if they fail to take steps to restrict under-age use.
It is important to understand what the law does and doesn’t do:
The minimum age for holding an account on many mainstream social platforms now is 16.
Under-16s can still use online games and messaging apps that are not defined as age-restricted social media — these services continue to be available to children.
Children can also still access online educational, health and support services that are excluded from the age law.
Platforms are required to show they are trying to comply with the law, but it will take time for age checks to be fully refined.
While this new law will help reduce exposure to certain risks of prolonged social media use, it doesn’t replace the important role that families and schools play in supporting children to behave safely and respectfully online. We know that online gaming and group chats — even where social media rules don’t apply — still carry risks like exposure to inappropriate language, pressure to interact or in-game purchasing. It’s a good idea for parents and carers to continue using family controls, reviewing privacy settings and talking openly with their children about online behaviour and wellbeing.
At school, we will continue to support students in developing digital citizenship skills, helping them to make safe, positive choices in all online spaces. Partnerships between home and school are vital as we guide our children through an increasingly digital world.
Practical tips for families
- Keep devices in shared family spaces where possible
- Know what apps and games your child is using
- Use parental controls and privacy settings
- Set clear time limits for online use
- Talk regularly about kindness and safety online
- Encourage children to tell an adult if something feels wrong
- Model healthy screen habits at home
Review age ratings before downloading apps or games
Open conversations are one of the most powerful safety tools. Children who feel comfortable talking about their online experiences are more likely to seek help when they need it.