With the under 16’s social media ban beginning on 10th of December, concerns for the well-being of children living with a disability and rural Australians are rising, as they lose contact from online communities.
But, the Government believes the ban is necessary to protect the mental health of young Australians as the risk of harm offsets the positives of having an account.
Social media apps like TikTok and snapchat will be responsible for making sure under 16’s are not on their platforms, risking fines of up to $50 million if they don’t take reasonable steps to prevent this group from having accounts.
Image: Ron Lach- Pexles
Produced By: Ella Panazzolo
Featured In Story: Skye Kakoschke-Moore- CEO of Children and Young People with Disability Australia
First aired on The Wire, Thursday 30 October 2025