Explained: Why countries around the world are cracking down on kids' social media use

Australia is tightening what is already one of the world's toughest social media laws.The government plans to double the maximum fine for platforms that systematically fail to keep children under 16 off their services—from A$49.5 million to A$99 million (about $68 million)—while giving the country's eSafety Commissioner broader powers to demand evidence from technology companies and enforce compliance. The move follows concerns that children continue to bypass the rules despite the law taking effect in December 2025.Read more: Australia plans to double fines on Big Tech as under-16 social media ban falls shortThe tougher enforcement signals a broader shift taking place across governments worldwide. Policymakers are moving beyond voluntary child safety commitments and increasingly requiring platforms to prove they are actively preventing underage users from accessing social media.Why is Australia tightening the law?Australia became the first country to prohibit children under 16 from holding accounts on major social media platforms, making it a global test case for regulating children's online access. The law places responsibility on platforms—not parents or children—to take "reasonable steps" to prevent underage users from creating accounts.However, early evidence suggests enforcement has been challenging.A recent peer-reviewed study published in the British Medical Journal found that more than 80% of surveyed teenagers continued using social media three months after the law came into force, often by creating fake accounts, using older family members' credentials or bypassing checks through other methods.The government says more than five million underage accounts have been removed or restricted since the law took effect, but regulators argue major platforms are still not doing enough to prevent children from returning.The proposed legislation would also give the eSafety Commissioner stronger investigative powers, allowing the regulator to compel platforms, app stores and age-verification providers to produce documents demonstrating how they are enforcing the rules.Which platforms are under scrutiny?Australia's regulator is investigating several major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, over possible failures to comply with the legislation. Platforms are expected to demonstrate that they have implemented effective age-assurance measures using technologies such as AI-based age estimation, identity verification or other approved methods.Why are governments becoming more aggressive?Growing concerns about children's mental health, cyberbullying, online predators, addictive algorithms and excessive screen time have fundamentally changed the regulatory conversation.Rather than relying on parental controls, governments increasingly want platforms themselves to verify users' ages and restrict access before children encounter harmful content.That represents a major shift in regulatory philosophy—from moderating harmful content to limiting access altogether.Which other countries are introducing similar restrictions?Australia may have moved first, but it is no longer alone.United KingdomThe UK has announced plans to introduce stricter age restrictions and stronger age-verification requirements for social media platforms, with proposals expected to take effect by 2027. British regulators have cited Australia's approach as an important reference point while developing what officials describe as a more comprehensive child safety framework.FranceFrance has approved legislation requiring parental consent for children under 15 to access social media. The government has also pushed for similar age restrictions to be adopted across the European Union, reflecting growing concern over children's digital wellbeing.NorwayNorway has proposed raising the minimum age for social media access to 15 while expanding digital age-verification requirements, arguing that stronger protections are needed as children spend increasing amounts of time online.New ZealandNew Zealand lawmakers are evaluating legislation that would require social media companies to verify users' ages and restrict access for younger children. The proposals have gained momentum following Australia's rollout.Indonesia and MalaysiaSeveral Southeast Asian governments, including Indonesia and Malaysia, are exploring tighter rules around children's access to social media, including mandatory age verification and stronger obligations for platforms to protect minors.European UnionWhile the European Union has not introduced a bloc-wide social media age ban, regulators are increasingly using the Digital Services Act (DSA) to require large online platforms to better protect minors, strengthen safety-by-design measures and improve transparency around algorithms targeting children. Several member states are simultaneously pursuing national age-limit proposals.Why is this becoming a global issue?For years, child online safety focused on content moderation—removing harmful posts after they appeared.Today's debate is shifting toward prevention.Governments increasingly believe that requiring platforms to identify users' ages before granting access is a more effective way to reduce exposure to harmful content, addictive recommendation systems and unwanted contact from strangers.For companies such as Meta, TikTok, Snap, Google and X, that means investing heavily in age-verification technology while navigating complex questions around privacy, biometric data and digital identity.What happens next?Australia's tougher penalties could become another milestone in global technology regulation.If Parliament approves the proposed amendments, companies that repeatedly fail to keep under-16s off their platforms could face fines of up to A$99 million, alongside significantly stronger regulatory scrutiny.More broadly, Australia's experiment is being closely watched by governments around the world. Whether the tougher enforcement succeeds—or whether determined teenagers continue finding ways around the rules—could shape the next generation of child online safety laws across Europe, Asia and beyond.Read more: UK's social media crackdown revives an old question for India: Regulate, redesign or restrict?