A national education campaign to prepare Australians for the Government’s world leading social media minimum age laws began Sunday October 19. The campaign ‘For the good of their wellbeing’ raises awareness of the new Social Media Minimum Age law. The new law means that from 10 December, you have to be 16 years or older to have a social media account.
This change is designed to protect young people from the risks of harm from social media and to support their wellbeing.
From 10 December 2025, social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, Facebook and YouTube will need to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 years of age from having a social media account.
The Hon Anika Wells MP, Minister for Communications, was also meeting with social media platforms this week to re-enforce the government’s expectation about how they will enforce the law.
The information campaign, "For The Good Of", aired from Sunday night. You can find helpful resources for young people, families and educators in the e-Safety Social media age restrictions hub, which can be accessed here.
The suite of resources, developed by the eSafety Commissioner, includes:
- A dedicated online hub with tailored FAQs explaining what is happening, and how to prepare.
- Practical guidance for parents and carers, including conversations starters and get-ready guides.
- Information for educators, explaining what the new restrictions mean for schools, and how to prepare students.
- Youth-friendly content outlining what the new restrictions mean for young people, downloadable action plans and where to go for help and support.
Minister for Communications, Anika Wells stated:
“With less than two months until December 10, we will continue to engage with teachers, students, children and parents because we want this law to be discussed openly and regularly in classrooms, on the drive to school, and at the dinner table.
“Our Government is on the side of families and restricting under-16s from holding accounts on social media platforms is just one element of our ongoing work to keep young people safer online.
“We encourage all Australians to engage with the range of resources now available to help them understand the laws and, importantly, why they’re necessary – for the good of our young people.”
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said:
“Delaying children’s access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of opaque algorithms and endless scroll.
“eSafety will continue to support parents and educators build children’s digital literacy and resilience.”
“I strongly encourage parents, educators and young people to visit eSafety.gov.au, download our resources and register for a live webinar where we will explain the social media age restrictions and answer questions in sessions tailored for parents, carers and educators,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
eSafety will also begin the extended series of webinars across Australian time zones to answer questions from the public and provide additional details. The free webinars commence from November 14 on with multiple dates available and run for half-an-hour.
“It’s not a silver bullet and it won’t solve every safety issue kids face online. But it is an important step that will give families and schools the opportunity to reset expectations, rebuild digital literacy and strengthen children’s emotional resilience before they enter high-risk online spaces,” Ms Julie Inman Grant said.
Informed by extensive consultation and feedback from key partners including mental health and support organisations, such as headspace, Kids Helpline, Beyond Blue, Raising Children and ReachOut Australia, all resources are available for free at eSafety.gov.au.
“We recognise this transition will be monumental for some children,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“Our conversation starters, classroom resources and step-by-step guides are designed to support parents, carers and educators to reset family digital rules and make this delay a positive opportunity to build critical thinking and resilience before children have a social media account.”
Minister for Communications, Anika Wells stated:
“The purpose of this law is clear – this is about creating cultural change so that young Australians have three more years to build real world connections and online resilience.
"This national education campaign will spread awareness about the changes coming for all Australian families.
“Parents and carers are encouraged to start having conversations about these news laws with their families to help them prepare.”
It’s not a ban, it’s a delay to having accounts
Age-restricted platforms won’t be allowed to let under-16s create or keep an account. That’s because being logged into an account increases the likelihood that they’ll be exposed to pressures and risks that can be hard to deal with. These come from social media platform design features that encourage them to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing.
