21.11.2025 14:16
Social media companies operating in Australia will be required to take measures to prevent children under the age of 16 from creating accounts starting from December 10. The closure of existing accounts has also been made mandatory. This issue is also on Turkey's agenda.
Social media companies in Australia are required to take measures to prevent children under the age of 16 from opening accounts starting December 10. This includes the closure of existing accounts.
FIRST IN THE WORLD
As part of the new implementation, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, and live streaming platforms Kick and Twitch must take action.
The government states that the ban, which will be the first of its kind in the world, aims to reduce the "pressures and risks" that children may be exposed to on social media.
PARENTS SUPPORT
While parents largely support the ban, the government claims that these applications are designed to increase children's screen time and that some content poses a threat to their "development and health."
A study conducted in the country this year revealed that 96% of children aged 10-15 use social media.
It was found that seven out of ten children were exposed to harmful content, including misogynistic posts, eating disorders, and even content promoting suicide.
One in seven children reported being subjected to sexual grooming behavior by older individuals.
More than half also stated that they had been victims of cyberbullying.
GAME PLATFORMS ARE ALSO UNDER DISCUSSION
The government indicates that there may be additions to the list, which will be made based on three main criteria:
YouTube Kids, Google Classroom, and WhatsApp were not included in the list as they do not meet these criteria.
Therefore, children under 16 will still be able to watch most content on platforms like YouTube that do not require account creation.
Game platforms like Roblox and Discord have implemented age restrictions on certain features to prevent their inclusion in the ban.
HOW WILL THE BAN BE ENFORCED?
The ban places the responsibility on companies.
Children and their parents will not be penalized if they are able to open accounts.
However, companies will face fines of up to $32 million for repeated violations.
The government mandates that companies take "reasonable steps" to prevent children from opening accounts.
It requires them to use age verification technologies, leaving it to the companies to determine how this will be done.
Official ID age verification could be one of these methods. Among the proposed measures are technologies that can infer age.
The government encourages platforms to use multiple different methods.
It is also noted that users' age declarations may be misleading and that parents cannot necessarily be relied upon to vouch for their children.
Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, announced that it will begin closing accounts for those under 16 starting December 4.
Meta stated that any potential errors could be corrected through official ID or video selfie submissions.
ON TURKEY'S AGENDA AS WELL
Prohibiting children under the age of 16 from using social media will be a first in the world.
In Turkey, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has initiated a study aimed at banning children under six from accessing social media applications and social networks.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that they are diligently working on a "social media age restriction draft" to be implemented by April 9, 2025.