Australia prepares legal action against social media giants over under-16 ban

Australia expects legal action against Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube for allegedly allowing children under 16 to keep using their accounts.

Communications Minister Anika Wells told Bloomberg that the eSafety Commissioner is gathering evidence for Federal Court proceedings. Expanded powers allow the regulator to demand company documents and question current and former employees.

“She’s now using those powers to prepare her case,” Wells said in the October 19 interview, referring to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

The regulator began investigating the five platforms in March. A July report found that most underage users could keep their accounts or open new ones, largely because age checks were ineffective, according to Bloomberg.

Australia becomes the first country to impose a full social media ban for under-16s

Australia has enacted a nationwide ban preventing children under 16 from using social media, marking the strictest law of its kind anywhere in the world.

Durov˙s CodeIgor Savkin

Since December 10, 2025, covered platforms have been required to take reasonable steps to stop Australians under 16 from creating or keeping accounts. Companies found to have breached that obligation face fines of up to A$109.2 million. Children and their parents face no penalties.

Wells’s comments concern cases being prepared, with no filings announced in the report. The platforms had not provided substantive responses to Bloomberg’s questions about the expected proceedings.