As Australia prepares to enforce a social media ban for users under 16, top tech companies are rejecting a government-backed pledge intended to show voluntary compliance. This has raised the prospect of future legal disputes and multimillion-dollar fines.
With the under-16 ban scheduled to take effect on 10 December, the eSafety Commissioner has asked platforms including Meta, YouTube and TikTok to publicly commit to the new law by signing a pledge. The refusal of many companies to do so has sparked concerns about the strength of the government's legal position. Twitch has also been included in the list of age-restricted platforms, alongside Reddit, Snapchat and Kick. Messaging services and gaming-focused platforms like WhatsApp and Roblox are currently exempt due to the nature of their primary functions.
Although the pledge is officially voluntary, several major platforms have either declined to complete or publish the government’s draft. Industry insiders suggest this indicates a careful legal strategy rather than clear defiance. Reports indicate that companies such as Google are evaluating formal legal responses, while American trade groups are lobbying against the legislation on the global stage.
Non-compliant platforms could face fines of up to $49.5 million. Some, such as Meta, have already started removing accounts of Australian users under 16 and others are preparing to take similar steps. Meanwhile, industry bodies argue that the proposed ban overlooks improvements in online safety and threatens the right to freely access information.
Although eSafety’s evaluations are intended to support both families and businesses, key legal questions remain about which services are definitively covered by the restrictions. The situation reveals ongoing tensions between national regulation of digital spaces and the interests of powerful global technology companies, with these pressures expected to grow as the new rules come into force.
