- Australia’s under-16 social media ban starts today (December 10)
- Ten social media platforms fall within the scope of the law
- Using a VPN is unlikely to help children bypass restrictions
Australian teenagers are being locked out of access to popular social media apps. Starting today (December 10, 2025), the country officially launched its long-awaited social media ban for those under 16 years of age.
Platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat must take “reasonable measures” to prevent people under 16 from using their services. Fines for non-compliance can reach $49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately $32 million USD).
The measure has been praised by children’s advocates and enjoys broad public support, but has divided technologists and privacy experts who fear for the privacy and safety of citizens.
As seen in other countries with age verification measures, Australian officials are aware that some users will try to get around the ban by using VPNs, but it’s unclear whether the best VPNs could help people get around the rules in any case.
That doesn’t mean people don’t try. Google Trends data already shows a slight increase in search volume for the term “VPN” in the hours before the ban.
According to the eSafety Commissioner’s directive, ten platforms are currently required to implement the ban for those under 16 years of age: Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube.
Currently, teens can continue to use apps considered lower risk, including WhatsApp, Discord, Roblox, and Pinterest. However, the regulator notes that it “may evaluate new services that emerge or reevaluate existing ones if they evolve to the point that their purpose changes.”
Regulated platforms must close existing teen accounts and prevent those under 16 from creating new ones.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, began rolling out the new requirements on December 4, although Messenger is not affected. The company is notifying accounts suspected of belonging to minors under 16 years of age and offering users the ability to verify their age if they have been affected by mistake.
Similarly, YouTube said all users under 16 will be automatically logged out.
Reddit has also begun notifying Australian users via email with an email saying, “we disagree with the Government’s assessment that Reddit is within the scope of the law,” according to the message shared by this Reddit user.
What’s next?
With Australia’s first global teen social media ban now in place, we anticipate citizens will increasingly take matters into their own hands.
Young users are already reportedly migrating to alternative apps, and lesser-known platforms like Coverstar, Lemon8 and Rednote are becoming popular, according to The Guardian.
Searches for VPNs are likely to increase further as the day progresses, giving a better idea of whether the technology and other circumvention tools can actually bypass restrictions.
Details on platform-specific age verification methods will also become clearer in the coming hours as the 10 platforms within the scope of the law implement changes to comply.
TechRadar will continue to monitor events as they develop. And we certainly won’t be alone: politicians around the world are watching closely, and countries like Malaysia and the EU are already considering similar laws.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy when you are abroad. We do not support or condone using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Future Publishing does not endorse or approve the consumption of paid pirated content.
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