- Australia’s social media ban for under-16s comes into effect today (December 10)
- Ten social media platforms fall under the law
- Using a VPN is unlikely to help children bypass restrictions
Australian teenagers are being excluded from popular social media apps. Starting today (December 10, 2025), the country officially launched its long-awaited social media ban for under-16s.
Platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are required to take “reasonable steps” to prevent people under the age of 16 from using their services. Fines for non-compliance can reach 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately 32 million US dollars).
The move was praised by children’s advocates and has broad public support, but it has divided technologists and privacy experts who fear for citizens’ privacy and security.
As seen in other countries with age verification measures, Australian authorities are aware that some users will attempt to circumvent the ban by using a VPN, but it is unclear whether the best VPNs could help people circumvent the rules anyway.
That doesn’t mean people won’t try. Google Trends data already shows a slight increase in search volume for the term “VPN” in the hours leading up to the ban.
As per the e-Safety Commissioner’s directive, ten platforms are currently required to implement the ban for under-16s: Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube.
Teens can currently continue to use apps deemed lower risk, including WhatsApp, Discord, Roblox and Pinterest. However, the regulator notes that it “may evaluate new services that emerge or reassess existing ones if they evolve to the point that their purpose changes.”
Regulated platforms are required to close existing accounts held by teenagers and prevent under-16s from creating new ones.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Threads, began implementing the new requirements on December 4, although Messenger is not affected. The company notifies accounts suspected of belonging to people under 16 and offers users the opportunity to verify their age if they have been affected in error.
Likewise, YouTube said all users under the age of 16 would be automatically logged out.
Reddit also began notifying Australian users via email saying, “we disagree with the government’s assessment of Reddit as being within the scope of the law,” according to the post shared by this Reddit user.
What’s next?
With the world’s first ban on social media for teenagers coming into force in Australia, we predict that citizens will increasingly take matters into their own hands.
Younger users are already turning to alternative apps, with lesser-known platforms such as Coverstar, Lemon8 and Rednote becoming popular, according to the Guardian.
Searches for VPNs are likely to increase further as the day progresses, which will shed light on whether the technology and other evasion tools can actually bypass restrictions.
Details regarding platform-specific age verification methods will also become clearer in the coming hours, as the 10 platforms covered by the law implement changes to comply.
TechRadar will continue to monitor events as they unfold. And we certainly won’t be alone: politicians around the world are watching closely, with countries like Malaysia and the EU already considering similar laws.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy abroad. We do not support or approve the use of a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consumption of paid pirated content is not endorsed or endorsed by Future Publishing.
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