Australia’s under-16 social media rules, for creators and businesses
Since December 2025, major platforms must stop under-16s in Australia from holding accounts. Here’s what that means if you post for a living or run a business page.
From 10 December 2025, platforms covered by the law, including Instagram and TikTok, must take reasonable steps to stop Australians under 16 having accounts. The obligation sits with the platforms, not with users or parents. If your audience skewed young, expect your follower count and reach among teens to change.
The law in brief
The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 sets a minimum age of 16 for holding an account on age-restricted social media platforms in Australia. The rules took effect on 10 December 2025. The eSafety Commissioner oversees them, and platforms that fail to take reasonable steps face large civil penalties. Young people and their parents are not penalised.
The law covers platforms whose main purpose involves social interaction and posting, which includes Instagram and TikTok. Some services, such as messaging and education services, were treated differently. Check eSafety’s current guidance for which services are covered.
What it means for creators
- Audience shifts. If a large part of your audience was under 16, some of those accounts will have been deactivated or locked. Expect follower and view counts to drop, and engagement to change.
- Insights matter more. Check your audience age breakdown in Insights so you know who you’re reaching now.
- Brand conversations. Brands targeting teens will rethink where they spend. Brands targeting adults may find the remaining audience easier to reach.
What it means for small businesses
Most local businesses sell to adults, so the direct effect is small. Businesses that marketed to teenagers on social media (tutoring, youth sport, some fashion and food) should look at other channels for under-16s and at reaching their parents instead.
Family and kids’ accounts
Accounts run for a child under 16 by the child can’t continue on covered platforms. Accounts run by adults about their family are a different case, but think carefully about posting children publicly regardless of the law.
Age checks for everyone
To comply, platforms use age-assurance methods, which can include estimating age from activity or asking some users to confirm it. If you’re an adult and you’re asked to confirm your age, it’s the platform’s process; we can’t help with it and we never need your login.
Our orders
Our packages are for people aged 18 or over, as our terms say. That was the case before the law and it hasn’t changed.
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