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A quiet but significant shift is about to hit the social-media world, and Hawkesbury families may want to start preparing. From 10 December 2025, major platforms including Instagram, TikTok, and X will be required to block Australians under 16 from creating new accounts unless their age can be reliably verified.
The change is part of a nationwide effort to strengthen online safety for young people. Platforms will no longer be allowed to rely on a simple “enter your birthday” box. Instead, they may turn to technologies such as AI-based age estimation or privacy-preserving tools like zero-knowledge proofs to confirm a user’s age without collecting unnecessary data.
Officials stress that this isn’t a ban on teens using social media altogether, but parents can expect a more controlled and potentially slower process for under-16s to join or stay on platforms.
Facebook has already begun
While the official enforcement date is 10 December, Facebook has now started rolling out its age-verification steps, meaning some younger users may already be seeing prompts to confirm their age or facing temporary account restrictions. Other platforms are expected to follow in the coming weeks.
A reminder for parents: Back up or download your children’s social-media data
If your child currently has a social-media account and is under 16, there’s a chance their access could be interrupted if verification is needed. Parents may want to download copies of photos, videos, messages, and posts now so nothing is lost during the transition.
Most platforms offer easy download options:
- Facebook and Instagram: Settings → Your Information → Download Information
- TikTok: Settings → Account → Download Your Data
- X: Settings → Your Account → Download an Archive of Your Data
Backing up now means families won’t risk losing memories if their teen’s account goes into a verification hold.
Supporting kids through the transition
The new rules aim to protect young Australians online, but they may cause some short-term confusion. Parents are encouraged to:
- Talk with their children about what’s changing
- Assist with age verification if needed
- Review privacy and safety settings
- Discuss healthy and safe social-media habits
For further support
Kids Helpline
- Phone: 1800 55 1800 (24/7).
- Great for emotional support, cyber-bullying issues, anxiety, or questions about social media changes.
Headspace / eHeadspace
- Headspace: a national youth mental-health foundation for 12–25-year-olds. Headspace hawkesbury 1800 517 171
- eHeadspace offers online and phone support — helpful if access in person is difficult.
- Good option for teens who may be dealing with stress, social pressures (including social media), identity, relationships, mental health challenges.
