How will the social media age restrictions affect me?

Accounts expose you to features like constant notifications, stories that disappear and recommended ‘For You’ content, to grab your attention and keep you on your screen longer. These features can impact your health and wellbeing by:

• making you feel stressed about keeping up with the latest posts
• making you get less sleep
• making it harder to switch off and concentrate on other things
• making you constantly compare yourself with other people
• showing negative, upsetting or manipulative content in your feed.

The aim of the social media restrictions is to protect under-16s from these impacts.

The idea is to give you and other young people more time to build emotional, social and digital skills – so by 16 you’ll be better at noticing if things are becoming harmful and knowing what to do about it.

It’s understandable that you might find the change challenging – especially if you have an account that is likely to be deactivated or removed, or you were just about to get one. But eSafety’s research shows many young people think there will be some positives, like spending more time doing things you enjoy and feeling less stressed.

Find out more about social media and mental health at Beyond Blue.
 

Under-16s will still be able to have accounts on most platforms that have the main purpose of messaging or online gaming.

In eSafety's view the following services will not be age-restricted social media platforms when the new law takes effect on 10 December 2025:

• Discord
• GitHub
• Google Classroom
• LEGO Play
• Messenger
• Pinterest
• Roblox
• Steam and Steam Chat
• WhatsApp
• YouTube Kids

But the platforms on the list can change, if features change or the way they’re used changes – see the latest list.

There are also online health services that you can still go to, such as these platforms:

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

On social media platforms that are age-restricted, under 16s will still be able to see publicly available social media content that doesn’t need an account – including most videos on YouTube.

This means that if you’re under 16 you can still search for and watch videos, read posts and find information – as long as the platform you’re using allows access without logging into an account. You’ll lose access to content posted by people whose accounts are set to private, but as any of your friends who are also under-16 won’t have accounts either, you won’t be alone.

Now is a good time to chat with your friends and family about how you want to stay connected outside of social media. For example, you could set up a group chat on a messaging platform with your closest friends and check if your favourite influencers have websites that you can bookmark. You can use eSafety’s Get-ready guide and action plan for under-16s to check you have everything covered.

Just remember that even platforms that are not age-restricted, such as messaging services and online games that under-16s can have accounts on, may have risks. So it’s still helpful to know how to spot and deal with difficult situations like being cyberbullied or being asked for nudes, and how to protect your identity.

I need help

You can also find eSafety advice for young people on many topics including:

• Pressures from social media
• Bullying online
• Online hate
• Trolling
• Protecting your personally identifiable information
• I'm being pressured to share nudes
• Someone is threatening to share my nudes
• My nudes have been shared
• Receiving unwanted nudes

If an age-restricted platform suspects or knows that you’re under 16, they should stop you using your account on that platform or creating a new one for it. They are meant to do this in a way that is as safe and supportive as possible, within the guidelines of the law.

eSafety has suggested that platforms give you clear instructions on how you can download, transfer or access your data, like saving your favourite posts, photos and important contacts.

Some platforms could allow you to just deactivate your account, so you can start using it again with all your existing data when you turn 16. But you shouldn’t rely on platforms to provide this option. It’s best to download any data you want to save, including connections, posts, chats, photos and videos – before 10 December.

Visit the ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ section on the platform if you’re unsure what will happen to your account data. You can also check The eSafety Guide for advice on downloading content and protecting your personal information on common platforms, games, apps and sites.

Follow the tips in eSafety’s Get-ready guide and action plan for under-16s, including how to save your most precious data and content.

It is up to companies to determine how to deal with accounts that you use to log into multiple services. eSafety's focus is on ensuring companies are preventing under-16s from using their accounts to log into age-restricted social media platforms and not about removing accounts that are used to get into other services. 

Age-restricted social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Snapchat and Threads are already asking users for proof of age. But be careful, because a scammer trying to steal money or personal information may send you a fake request. They are likely to create a sense of urgency, threatening to delete your account if you don’t act quickly.

Different social media platforms are using different methods to check age, so it’s important to trust only the information that each platform provides. They should let you know:

• the age-check steps their account holders have to take
• the information their account holders have to give
• whether the platform is using another company to do its checks.

Go directly to each platform’s ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ section, via your browser or the app. If you receive a text, email or any other message about proving your age, stop and think carefully. Don’t click on links and don’t download any attachments or apps unless you can verify their source.

We will also update The eSafety Guide with relevant links to age assurance information when platforms provide them.

Impersonation scams 

A scammer may pretend to be from a social media platform, another company doing the checks for a platform, a government department, or a law enforcement agency such as the police or security services.

They may ask you to:

• click a link directing you to a fake website
• provide your account username and password
• send or upload identity information such as passport, driving licence or proof of age card
• record videos of yourself to prove your age
• pay a fine for being on a social media platform while you’re under 16.
   

Buying and selling scams

A scammer may offer to sell you a fake ID or direct access to an age-verified account. They may collect personal information and request payment. But it's unlikely they will give you what they’ve promised, or they may give you access to something that doesn’t meet the real age check requirements.

‘Hi Mum’ style scams

These are the scams where your parent or guardian may receive a message from a scammer pretending to be you. For example, the scammer pretending to be you may claim they’ve lost their phone, so they’re using someone else’s number.

The scammer may tell your parent:

• you need to click a link to verify my age
• you need to send copies of my identity information (such as a passport, proof of age card and/or birth certificate) so my age can be verified (or so I can get back into my account).

Further support

To find out more about the latest scams and how to protect yourself, check the Australian Government’s Scamwatch website. 

Being scammed is a horrible experience, and it can happen to anyone. If you need someone to talk to, you can reach out to Kids Helpline (for 5- to 25-year-olds) or another counselling or support service.

You can also reach out to IDCare, a not-for-profit organisation that can help you recover from scams, identity theft and other cybercrimes.

It’s important to stay connected with people and groups who support you. If social media was your main way to engage with family, friends and online communities, or to access your news, entertainment and wellbeing support, this change might feel like a big loss.  

The best thing you can do is to talk openly with friends and family about how this change will impact you. Together you can start exploring other ways to stay connected, supported and informed. For example, you could set up a group chat on a messaging platform with your closest friends and check if your favourite influencers have websites that you can bookmark. You can use eSafety’s Get-ready guide and action plan for under-16s to check you have everything covered.  

If you don’t have anyone close who will understand what you’re going through, you could contact a free and confidential counselling or support service – they’re ready to help with your health and wellbeing (including sexual health advice).  

It’s a good idea to think about the communities you’re part of on social media, how else you can access them and where you can get similar support.  

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

You can also check eSafety's info for young people on Being out, transgender or gender diverse online.

This is a big change and you may be concerned about losing access to the people, content and communities you love. It will take time to adjust but you don’t need to do it alone.  

If you’re feeling confused, isolated or unsure about where to turn, help is available:

• Reach out to a trusted adult in your life who you feel safe confiding in about difficult things – it could be someone like a parent, teacher, older sibling or cousin.
• If you don't have anyone close you can talk with, you can contact Kids Helpline (for 5- to 25-year-olds), eheadspace (for 12- to 25-year-olds), Beyond Blue (for all ages), or another free or confidential counselling or support service.
• Go on the forum set up by Beyond Blue for young people, where you can safely discuss how you're feeling about the social media age restrictions.
• Check out these ReachOut resources:
  - What to do when you're feeling lonely - 11 helpful tips
  - Ask a therapist: What to do if you're feeling lonely
  - How to cope when things are out of control
  - 7 tips for dealing with change

The new law isn’t meant to punish you. There won’t be any penalties or fines for under-16s who have social media accounts, or their parents or carers.

But social media platforms will have to take steps to find and remove or deactivate accounts owned by under-16s, and prevent new ones being created. If the companies don’t take reasonable steps to do this, they will be breaking the law – and they can be penalised up to $49.5 million by a court.

If you’re asked to pay a fine for being on social media while you’re under-16 it’s a scam. DO NOT PAY. Check Scamwatch for more information. 

It’s important to remember that no matter how old you are, if you have a harmful experience online you should reach out for support – even if you’re under 16 and it happens on social media.

• Depending on what has happened, there are different ways to get support from eSafety or other services. You won’t get into trouble for being on the platform.
• Visit eSafety's I need help page for young people for information and guidance on what to do about cyberbullying, threats to share nudes and other issues online.
• If you're nervous about reporting to eSafety, you can speak first with a free, confidential support service like Kids Helpline (for 5- to 25-year-olds), eheadspace (for 12- to 25-year-olds) or Beyond Blue (for all ages), or choose another counselling or support service.

Various technologies can be used to check age, when someone is signing up for an account or later. The methods used by age-restricted social media platforms have to meet the regulatory requirements and respect privacy laws and digital rights. 

To reduce the risk of scams, platforms should clearly communicate the age-check steps you have to take, the information you have to give, and whether it's using another company to do the check – their ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ sections are a good place to look for latest details. We will also be updating The eSafety Guide with relevant links. 

It’s important to know that platforms can no longer just rely on you providing a birthdate at account sign up. The platforms are expected to have ways to stop users faking their age using false identity documents, AI tools or deepfakes. They are also expected to try to stop under-16s from using VPNs to pretend to be outside Australia.

If someone offers to sell you a fake ID or direct access to an age-verified account, it’s probably a scam. DO NOT PAY or give them personal information. Check Scamwatch for more information.

Age-restricted platforms may give you the option to use a government-issued ID or an Australian Government accredited digital ID service to prove your age, but they must always offer a reasonable alternative.

No one who is 16 or older should be prevented from having a social media account because they choose not to provide government-issued ID. eSafety can seek penalties of up to $49.5 million if a platform does not offer a reasonable alternative to government-issued ID.

There’s a chance that some users who are 16 or older may have their accounts removed or deactivated by mistake. If this happens the platforms should give you the opportunity to request a review, and correct the error, so no one is unfairly prevented from having an account. Their ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ sections are a good place to look for latest details.

Under-16s will still have access to social media content that doesn’t require logging into an account. They can also still use most standalone gaming and messaging apps. Check the latest list.

Now is a good time to chat with friends and family affected by the age restrictions about other ways you can stay in touch. For example, you could move group chats onto messaging platforms that are not age-restricted – just remember that even unrestricted apps and platforms can have safety risks.

For other ideas and to help you prepare, check out eSafety’s Get-ready guide.

If action is taken by a platform, they should give you an explanation and the opportunity to prove your age or ask for a review.

Platforms should have easy-to-use reporting tools but also take steps to stop fake reports from troublemakers. No-one aged 16 or older should be unfairly prevented from having a social media account.

If the platform scans facial features as part of its checks and you look younger than 16, there is a chance that you could have your accounts removed or deactivated after the new law comes into effect. But the platforms should offer you a way to appeal and have the error corrected.

Platforms may give you the option to provide a government ID to prove your age, but they must also offer other reasonable alternatives for you to prove it – they can’t force you to provide a government ID.

Platforms have to ensure that any personal information they collect to check your age is not used for other purposes without your consent, including marketing.

The Australian Government’s Age Assurance Technology Trial confirmed that a variety of methods provide effective age checks while also preserving privacy.

It's important to keep your personally identifiable information as private and secure as possible and only share it with trusted people and services. For examples of personally identifiable information and to learn more about how to protect your identity from scammers and other forms of misuse, read our advice.

The platforms will be responsible for finding and removing accounts of under-16s who are ‘ordinarily resident in Australia’ from 10 December, when the law comes into effect.  

(The Online Safety Act does not define ‘ordinarily resident in Australia’ and there is no stated time threshold that platforms must apply.) If you are an international student under the age of 16 and are living in Australia, you should be aware that your account may be flagged for age checks, deactivation or removal if platforms receive signals indicating you're in Australia for a significant period of time or indefinitely.

Platforms may check various signals to assess if a user intends to live or stay in Australia, such as the use of an Australian device and/or network provider, and updates to country settings within user accounts.  

Platforms should have mechanisms in place for you to appeal if you believe your account has been flagged, removed or deactivated in error, or if the your age or ordinary residence change.