From 10 December 2025, the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 will require social media platforms to:
- prevent children and young people under 16 from having a social media account
- deactivate or freeze existing accounts held by people under 16.
Delaying access to social media protects the health and wellbeing of young people and gives them extra time to build real world connections and digital literacy skills.
The responsibility will be on the social media platforms, not parents, carers, children or schools, to implement these new restrictions.
Most popular social media platforms will be age restricted. These include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit and YouTube.
Messaging services and online games, as well as apps and platforms that support health and education, can still be used.
How to help under 16-year-olds prepare for the change
Parents and carers play an important role in supporting their children to be safe online.
To help get your under 16-year-old/s ready for the social media minimum age requirements and stay up to date as a parent, you can go to the eSafety website to learn more about the social media age restrictions and find tips on how to talk about social media age restrictions with young people.
You can also access the SchoolTV website on the College website for special reports on the new social media restrictions: https://shgc.vic.schooltv.me/
At Sacred Heart, age-restricted social media platforms will be blocked for student use on the school network.
