What do social media age restrictions mean for sport organisations?

Members who are 16 or older, including parents and carers, can continue to access all social media platforms normally. Also, under-16s can still see publicly available social media content that doesn’t require logging into an account.

But if you rely on under-16 members to have social media accounts so you can stay in touch with them, you need to explore alternatives.

• Most standalone messaging apps, including WhatsApp and Messenger, are not affected by the new law as of 10 December 2025, so you can use those if they comply with your safeguarding policies.
• Learning management systems that allow organisations to share course materials and facilitate communication are also excluded from the age restrictions.

It’s important to remember that most Australian sport organisations have safeguarding policies that set out strict expectations for online interaction with young people. These policies are not changing, and rules will still apply. Find more information at:

• your national, state or local sport organisation
• Sport Integrity Australia – safeguarding
• Play by the Rules – child safe community sport.

The law does not affect the ability of sport organisations to post or share photos and videos of under-16s via sport-run social media accounts, so long as those accounts are owned by staff, volunteers and/or members who are 16 or older.

If the content shows anyone under 16, organisations should adhere to any sport specific policies with regards to photos, videos and livestreaming of children and young people – just as they should for anyone under 18. Refer to your national sport organisation or Sport Integrity Australia for specific guidance.

For further general guidance on photography and filming, go to our eSafety Sports hub.

The responsibility for preventing under-16s from creating or having accounts is on the platforms, not sports organisations, volunteers or families. There are no penalties for under-16s who access an age-restricted social media platform, or for their parents or carers.

Age-restricted platforms will be expected to provide clear ways for people to report underage accounts or to request a review if someone has been age-restricted by mistake or due to false reporting.

No matter how old your sport members are, if they have a harmful experience online they should reach out for support – even if they are under 16 and it happens on an age-restricted social media platform. They won’t get into trouble for being on the platform.

Depending on what has happened, there are different ways to get support from eSafety, your peak sport body or other services.

Cyberbullying like harmful posts or profiles should be reported to the platform first. If it's very serious and the platform doesn’t help, it can be reported to eSafety so we can help to remove the content and stop the bullying.

If someone shares, or threatens to share, a nude or sexual image or video of a person without their consent this is called ‘image-based abuse’ and it can be reported to eSafety – but if blackmail is involved follow the steps at Dealing with sexual extortion.

The eSafety Sports hub has further guidance, including step-by-step advice on dealing with online abuse in sport. Your peak sport organisation or Sport Integrity Australia can also help.

You can support young people and families by referring them to eSafety’s social media age restrictions hub – it has information and resources for young people, families, educators and the online industry.

If a platform believes that an account is held by an under-16 user, it may be removed or deactivated – even if they earn money from it. This is because age-restricted platforms must stop under-16s from having accounts.

Different online services have their own rules about account management, which may include rules about running accounts for other people. You can check these rules directly with the platform to see if they allow adults to manage accounts for children who are too young to hold their own accounts.

The age restrictions are not aimed to punish or silence under-16s, but to protect them from the pressures and risks that come with having social media accounts. Under-16s can still share things in meaningful ways in alternative spaces both online and offline.

There are cases where accounts for under-16s are managed by an adult, often to help build a profile for activities such as sport or music.

Age-restricted platforms are required to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from having accounts, so if a platform is satisfied that an account is held by a user under 16, and not an adult, the account should be removed or deactivated.

Many online services also have their own rules, guidelines, and terms of use for account management and user behaviour. These may include rules about running accounts for other people. You can check these rules directly with the platform.