Is A Social Media Ban For Under-16s Coming To India After Australia’s Landmark Law?

Australia's recent ruling that prevents those under the age of 16 from accessing social media has sparked a global conversation regarding the purpose of social media and the online safety of youth.

The legislation was initially developed at the national level, however, this newly adopted policy has caused countries across the globe to consider re-evaluating their policies regarding online safety, settings for youth, and how social media fits into the lives of children. Countries are exploring new regulations regarding minors.

Since Australia's passing of this legislation, nations worldwide have begun to consider implementing similar restrictions on underage users of social media.

In India, for instance, Andhra Pradesh Governor Nara Lokesh stated that they are currently attempting to determine how to best implement a framework for regulating social media usage by minors.

As well, UK officials are looking at how to regulate minors access to social media, particularly in light of concerns related to the potential for online harm. Conservative Party member Kemi Badenoch stated that she would be supportive of prohibiting minors from using social media if they were to gain control of the government.

France, Indonesia, and Malaysia are also working on laws related to children's social media use. In the United States, several states already have regulations in place that restrict how platforms interact with young users.

Why the Push Against Social Media for Children Matters

One major reason behind these proposed bans is the growing concern about how social media affects children's mental health, privacy, and development. Another key issue is data and advertising.

A Harvard study published in 2024 found that major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube earned around $11 billion in advertising revenue from users under 18 in 2022.

The study directly linked this income to minors' online activity, raising questions about whether children are being unfairly targeted for profit.

If more countries follow Australia's example, social media companies could lose access to large amounts of data generated by young users. This could have a major impact on their business models.

Impact On Business

For marketers, these changes signal a shift. The long-standing practice of easily reaching young audiences through social media may soon come to an end. While global standards will take time to develop, the direction is becoming clear.

Advertisers may need to rethink whether targeting minors is worth the risk and scrutiny. Some platforms are already preparing for tighter rules. For example, gaming platform Roblox, which was not covered by Australia's ban, has introduced stricter age verification measures. This suggests that companies expect regulations to expand or believe public opinion is turning against unrestricted access for children.

As governments move slowly on privacy rules for other platforms like connected TVs, social media is becoming the first major testing ground for stricter digital protection laws for minors.