Meta Platforms Inc., Snap Inc., and ByteDance’s TikTok have announced they will comply with Australia’s upcoming social-media ban for users under 16, setting aside prior objections just weeks before the law comes into effect, Bloomberg reports.
Representatives from the three platforms provided remote testimony to a Senate inquiry in Canberra on Tuesday, confirming that accounts belonging to underage users will be barred starting December 10, the date the world-first legislation takes effect. The declarations ease a major enforcement challenge for the Australian government, leaving Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube as the law’s most prominent holdout. YouTube disputes its classification as a social media platform, arguing it functions primarily as a video-streaming service.
The legislation, passed by Australia’s parliament in 2024, aims to shield children from harmful content and online abuse. Social media companies are legally responsible for preventing under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts, and can face fines of up to A$50 million ($32 million) for non-compliance. Children and parents will not be penalized under the law.
At the inquiry, platform representatives highlighted the technical and practical challenges of compliance. Mia Garlick, Meta’s regional policy director, said the age threshold of 16 presents “significant new engineering and age-assurance challenges,” as existing systems are designed for 13- or 18-year-old thresholds. Meta plans to use a combination of tools, including video selfies, to verify users’ ages, and will deactivate underage accounts on December 10.
Snap’s Jennifer Stout noted the unprecedented nature of the legislation, emphasizing that Australia is “a first mover in this space” and that her company is “learning as we go.” TikTok’s Ella Woods-Joyce expressed concerns that the ban may not fully protect children but confirmed the platform is on track to meet legal obligations.
YouTube, which has resisted the legislation, has not publicly committed to compliance and remains in discussions with the Australian government and the eSafety Commissioner. A spokesman did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment on Tuesday.
With more than one million Australian children aged 13 to 15 already using these platforms, the law represents a landmark regulatory effort to reshape how minors access social media, testing the limits of enforcement and digital age verification technology.
