Use Facebook, Insta and YouTube as per your wish for just 5 more days, fine will be imposed for breaking the rules.

Social Media Age Limit: Australia is going to strictly enforce the minimum age limit of 16 years on social media platforms from next week. Under the new rules, children up to 16 years of age will not be able to use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Snapchat, Reddit, Threads, Kick and Twitch.

The government has recently warned that if the platforms fail to take appropriate steps, they could be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars. This rule is going to come into effect from December 10.

Report card will have to be given every month

Communications Minister Annika Wells said that the eSafety Commissioner will issue a notice to these 10 platforms on December 11. In this they will be asked how many accounts of minors they have closed. After this, this report will have to be given every month for 6 months. The government says that the process of Age Assurance may take a few days or weeks. If systematic violations are seen on any platform, heavy fines will be imposed.

YouTube will automatically sign out underage users from December 10

Recently Google has informed that from December 10, users under 16 years of age will be automatically signed out on YouTube. Such users will not be able to use features like playlist. Google will verify the age based on your Google Account data and other indicators. By the way, Google has criticized this law. He said this hastily enacted law misunderstands the functionality of platforms and the behavior of young users and does not enhance the safety of children.

Follow this method if people above 16 years of age have an account

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Threads, said that suspected minor accounts will start being removed from Thursday. If the account of a user above 16 years of age is accidentally deleted, then he can prove his age through Yoti Age Verification by providing a government ID or a video selfie.

legal battle begins

Sydney-based digital rights group Digital Freedom Project has asked the High Court to ban the law. At present the date of hearing has not been decided. Wells said that the government would defend this law, because Australian parents had demanded the government to take action regarding the online safety of children.

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Many countries are serious about determining the age limit of users.

In November, Malaysia announced that it would ban social media accounts of children under 16 from 2026. Wells said that the European Union, France, Denmark, Greece, Romania, New Zealand are also showing interest in imposing minimum age limit for social media.