In The Media
From 10 December 2025, new laws require many social media platforms to prevent children under 16 in Australia from having their own accounts. This means if children in Australia are under 16, they won’t be able to sign up for, or continue using, accounts on these platforms until they reach the minimum age.
What is the social media ban?
On November 28, 2024, the Australian government passed a new law known as the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill. This rule requires a minimum age of 16 for accounts on specific social networking networks. It went into effect on December 10, 2025, and parents cannot grant their consent to allow under-16s to access these platforms.
Why is the social media ban happening?
The government claims that the social media ban is necessary to preserve the mental health and well-being of Australian children and teenagers. They believe the risks of social media, such as cyberbullying, bad content, and online predators, outweigh the rewards.
What social media platforms are banned?
Currently, the platforms the ban applies to are
- YouTube
- X
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- Twitch
- Threads
- Kick
Tech companies that own these platforms could face fines of up to $50 million if they don’t take reasonable steps to stop under-16s from having accounts.
How does this affect deaf and hard of hearing children?
While these changes affect all children under 16 across Australia, they may have a particularly significant impact on deaf and hard of hearing children.
For many young people in the deaf community, social media has been more than entertainment. It has been a vital way to build friendships, find identity, and connect with others who share similar experiences. This is especially important for children who live in different states, regional areas, or even overseas. As the deaf community in Australia is relatively small, many children rely on online platforms to maintain meaningful connections beyond their immediate local area.
What does this mean for deaf and hard of hearing children?
Some young people may lose access to the social media accounts they have been using to stay connected. For this reason, it is important to consider alternative ways for them to keep in touch. Parents and carers may wish to ensure their child has the phone numbers or email addresses of close friends so connections can continue through platforms that are not included in the social media ban, such as:
- Messenger Kids
- YouTube Kids
- Discord
- iPhone/iPad FaceTime
- Zoom
These platforms can still support communication through messaging, video calls and group chats, allowing children to maintain important friendships and community ties across Australia.
Will my account be deleted or banned if I allow my child to use my social media applications as a parent?
If a platform believes that an account is held by an under-16 user, and not their parent or another adult, the platform should remove or deactivate it.
Different online services have their own rules about account management and user behaviour, which may include rules about running accounts for other people. You can check these rules directly with the platform.
Health and wellbeing advice
These organisations have the resources to assist children and young people.
Kids Helpline (for 5- to 25-year-olds, including 24/7 phone and online support)
Headspace (for 12- to 25-year-olds, or anyone concerned about a young person aged 12 to 25)
Beyond Blue (for all ages, including 24/7 webchat). https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
Deaf community access: Connect to the National Relay Service (internet relay) and ask for 1300 22 4636
More deaf accessible Mental Health resources available here.
Deaf Children Australia also have a Cyber Security Awareness workshop for young people who use Auslan.
