Social media age restrictions and your family

The age restrictions are likely to mean a big change for many under-16s, so they may feel a range of emotions – including being upset, worried, frustrated, confused, sad or angry.  

Some may binge on social media use now, before the restrictions start, and find it harder than usual to switch off. Others may become more secretive about their social media use and less likely to ask for help from a trusted adult if things go wrong.

As a parent or carer, you can support your child by talking calmly and openly about the age restrictions. This includes asking how they use social media now, helping them understand how the law might affect them, and guiding them to prepare for the change.  

eSafety has developed sample conversation starters for parents and carers, as well as a Get-ready guide for helping under-16s prepare for the change. The guide has tips for helping under-16s find other ways to connect with friends, keep up with their interests, express themselves, learn about things and be entertained.

We understand families and households have their own agreements and approaches to being online and using devices, and that every child is different.  

You know your child best. Keep in mind their age, developmental stage, emotional readiness and individual needs when talking about the age restrictions.  

Also, if you’re caring for children of various ages you may need to handle the issue in different ways. Discussing it with everyone together and setting shared expectations can be helpful, or you may find it’s better to have separate conversations.  

What matters most is creating a safe space for under-16s to feel heard, supported and empowered to make ‘switching off’ age-restricted social media accounts as stress-free as possible.  

Here are some tips:

• Lead with empathy, letting them know you understand their feelings.
• Ask them how they currently use social media.
• Talk about the new law and what it means.
• Explain that the restrictions are to protect them, not punish them.
• Talk about the sorts of risks the law aims to help them avoid. These include spending too much time on screens and being over-exposed to negative and harmful content – which can impact their sleep, stress levels, attention and wellbeing.
• Focus on what they can still do online and offline.
• Reassure them they can always come to you or another trusted adult to talk about their concerns.
• It’s OK to try again later if the talk has not gone very well. Lots of little chats are often more effective than one big conversation.

Remember, the aim of delaying account access until 16 is to give young people more time to develop important digital, social and emotional skills before facing the risks of age-restricted social media accounts.  

You can use the extra time to teach them about healthy online habits and the importance of responsible online behaviour – and model them yourself (see our tips in the conversation starters). That way they will be better prepared for social media account access when they turn 16.  

You can also explore our content for parents and carers on a range of topics, including using parental controls and managing screen time.

Other helpful advice about discussing the social media age restrictions is provided by headspace (Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation) at Information for family about the social media ban. 

You're not alone. Many parents and carers are worried about how under-16s will react to no longer having access to social media accounts.  

It’s common for tensions to rise when people are coping with change – especially if they don’t want it to happen. Boredom can cause stress and irritability, too.

Also, it’s likely that many under-16s will have siblings, friends or classmates who are older and still using social media accounts – or know other under-16s who are trying to get around the law. This may cause resentment and conflict within social groups and families.

It can be even more complicated if there are different approaches and rules in different homes or settings where your child is cared for, or in their friends’ homes.  

It’s important to keep the focus on your child’s wellbeing, remembering that conflict can be stressful for them too.

You don’t have to work this out on your own.

You can try the suggestions in these FAQs: ‘What can I do now to help my family prepare?’ and ‘I don’t think my child will cope with losing important connections and support. What should I do?’

You can also check in with other parents, your own friends, the communities you belong to and your child’s school. It may even be possible to come up with ideas together that ease the pressure for everyone.

For example:  

• talk with other parents or carers about the age restrictions, including their expectations, how they feel about the change and how they’re approaching it with their own children  
• share the information you’ve learnt from eSafety, to help others understand what’s happening, why, and what they can do
• set clear agreements – for example for sleepovers or shared device use
• organise joint activities or events to help relieve the boredom for under-16s withdrawing from social media accounts
• check in with each other regularly to stay aligned and discuss what to do about problems.

If things become too difficult to manage, there’s help available – for your child, your family, and for you.

If you or your child are at risk of harm right now call Triple Zero (000).

These are some other options:

• Counselling and support services  
• Kids Helpline
• Parentline
• Raising Children Network
• Family Relationships Advice Line
• A family mediation service
• Your child’s school counsellor  
• Your local doctor or community nurse

It may be useful to seek professional help as a parent – ReachOut has advice (including talking with someone you trust, a counsellor or online support service, or a community forum). It also has coaching for parents and carers of teens and advice on dealing with family conflict and helping young people cope with change.  

If your child is at risk of self-harm right now call Triple Zero (000).

Like most of us, young people use social media in many different ways – including connecting with friends, keeping up with their interests, expressing themselves, learning about things and being entertained.  

They can also use it to explore who they are (or want to be), find a community, connect with a support network and express their identity.  

Some under-16s are likely to find losing account access harder than others – especially if they use social media as their main way of connecting and getting support. For example, it may not be easy to socialise with others in person because of distance, disability, language barriers or feeling uncomfortable about being themselves in public.

It can be hard to talk about these things with your child, so you could try using eSafety’s sample conversation starters to raise the issue. There’s also a Get-ready guide you can use to help under-16s make practical preparations for the change, or they can fill out their own action plan with alternative ways to stay in touch with important people, communities and services.

Young people can explore these ReachOut pages for lists of national, state and territory-based services and ways to connect:

• Support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Ways to connect with community if you’re a First Nations young person
• Yarn up – a space where young First Nations people access wellbeing resources and support
• Support services for culturally and linguistically diverse young people
• Culturally diverse LGBTQIA+ support services and groups
• LGBTQIA+ support services.  

eSafety also has information for young people on Being out, transgender or gender diverse online.  

Let under-16s know it’s always OK to reach out for help if they’re struggling. Keep in mind they may not be comfortable about telling you, so together you could agree on other adults they can trust. You could also show them where to look up the free, confidential services listed on eSafety’s ‘I need help’ page for young people.  

Some behavioural changes are a normal part of growing up, but they could also be a warning that you need to check how your child is coping:

• Sudden changes in mood
• Avoiding conversations about their online activity
• Becoming secretive with devices
• Reduced participation in their usual interests or activities  
• School performance dropping
• Tiredness, sleep disturbance, headaches, eye strain
• Changes in eating patterns
• Reduced personal hygiene
• Obsession with particular websites or games
• Extreme anger when being asked to take a break from online activity
• Appearing anxious or irritable when away from the computer
• Becoming quieter or withdrawn from friends and family 

Age-restricted social media platforms will have to take reasonable steps to find and remove or deactivate accounts held by under-16s.

eSafety has developed regulatory guidelines to help platforms remove or deactivate accounts using an approach that is as safe and supportive as reasonably possible.  

The guidelines are informed by a broad evidence base, including lessons learned through the Australian Government’s Age Assurance Technology Trial and the outcomes of stakeholder consultations. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has provided guidance on privacy.

Platforms are meant to remove accounts belonging to under-16s. Instead of removing accounts, some platforms may deactivate them so they can be reactivated with all their existing data when the user turns 16. However, users should not rely on platforms to provide this option. It’s best for under-16s to download any data they want to save, including connections, posts, chats, photos and videos, before 10 December. 

No online platform or service is risk-free, especially for children.

Although under-16s won’t be exposed to as many of the high-pressure features that come with social media accounts, they will still be able to scroll content that doesn’t require being logged into an account.

For example, most content is currently available to view on YouTube without holding an account. Another example is that anyone can search for and view some of Facebook’s content, such as the landing pages of businesses or services that use it as their host platform.

Content that can be seen without an account on some age-restricted platforms may not have safety protections for young people, which means under-16s could still see content that’s inappropriate for their age.  

Online harms can also happen on the alternative sites and apps that under-16s may use for connection, expression, information and entertainment after losing social media accounts. This includes messaging and gaming platforms. See the next FAQ for more information.

Platforms that have the sole or primary purpose of enabling messaging or online gaming are among a number of types of services that have been excluded from the age restrictions under the legislative rules. Read more about the exclusions.

Also, under-16s will be able to use online services, sites and apps that are not covered by the social media age restrictions. It’s likely that many young people will move to these to find connection, expression, information and entertainment after losing social media accounts.  

But these alternatives have risks too. Young people can still be exposed to harmful conduct such as cyberbullying and being asked to share nudes, and to content that’s inappropriate for their age like pornography and violent material. 

It’s important to continue to:  

• check in about their online experiences
• help them understand safety strategies
• encourage them to reach out for help if they are harmed or feel unsure, uncomfortable or unsafe while online.

Online safety basics has helpful tips for parents and carers.

Under-16s will also continue to have access to online services that provide crucial information and support if they are experiencing distress.

For example, they can still go to these platforms:

• My Circle is a free, private, safe and confidential social forum for 12- to 25-year-olds – and it’s good for your mental health.
• Beyond Blue forums are open to under-16s – there’s even one where they can discuss how they’re feeling about the social media age restrictions.

You can also support your child to make plans to see trusted people in-person and pursue offline hobbies, to help them start cutting back their social media use. Now is a good time to explore eSafety’s page for young people about finding a balance between online and offline activities with your child, to help them get ready for the age-restrictions.   

Most social media services currently have a minimum age requirement for account holders, but often they don’t enforce it. That won’t be acceptable anymore. There are systems and technologies that make this possible while preserving the privacy of users. Some are already being used by social media platforms.

Of course, no solution is likely to be 100% effective all the time. We know that some under-16s may find their way around the age restrictions, like some get around restrictions on cigarettes and alcohol.  

But age-restricted platforms will have to take steps to stop under-16s getting around the law. This includes having ways to prevent under-16s from faking their age by using false identity documents, AI tools or deepfakes. It also means trying to stop under-16s from using VPNs to pretend to be outside Australia.    

Platforms may assess age-related signals which can help work out if someone is under 16. These signals can include:  

• how long an account has been active
• whether the account holder interacts with content targeted at children under 16
• analysis of the language level and style used by the account holder and the people they interact with
• visual checks, such as facial age analysis of the account holder’s photos and videos
• audio analysis, such as age estimation of the voice of the account holder
• activity patterns consistent with school schedules
• connections with other users who appear to be under 16
• membership in youth-focused groups, forums or communities.

Platforms may also use location-based signals which can help work out if an account holder usually lives in Australia and could be using a VPN to pretend they don’t. These signals can include:  

• IP address(es)
• GPS or other location services
• device language and time settings
• a device identifier
• an Australian phone number
• app store or operating system or account settings
• photos, tags, connections, engagement or activity.  

Evidence of these age and location signals is expected to trigger the age assurance process, or review of an account if it has already been checked. 

It will be up to each platform to decide which methods it uses.

eSafety has published regulatory guidance to help platforms decide which methods are likely to be effective and comply with the Online Safety Act. The regulatory guidance also draws on our existing knowledge base, and includes principles that are consistent with similar international frameworks.

Platforms have to comply with the Online Safety Act and Privacy Act (including the Australian Privacy Principles) in handling any personal information they collect to check that a user is 16 or older. Personal information collected for this purpose can only be used for other purposes (like marketing) in certain circumstances, such as with the consent of the user. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has provided guidance on privacy.

No Australian will be forced to provide a government-issued ID or use an Australian Government accredited digital ID service to prove their age. Age-restricted social media platforms must offer reasonable alternatives to users.

There is a chance that some users who are 16 or older may have their accounts removed or deactivated in error. Age-restricted platforms are expected to have processes to correct errors if someone is mistakenly missed by or included in the restrictions, so no one account is removed or deactivated unfairly.

Platforms should also provide clear ways for people to report underage accounts, or to request a review if they have been age-restricted by mistake. 

No matter how old your child is, 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.  

Depending on what has happened, there are different ways to get support from eSafety or other services. They won’t get into trouble.

eSafety’s 'I need help' page for young people has more detailed information and guidance on what they can do if something goes wrong online.  

 If they’re nervous about reporting to eSafety, they can speak first with a free, confidential support service like Kids Helpline (for 5- to 25-year-olds) or headspace (for 12- to 25-year-olds), Beyond Blue (for all ages), or choose another counselling or support service.