Under-16 social media minimum age: A parent’s mental health guide

If you are the parent or carer of a child under 16 in Australia, you have probably had at least one conversation about social media since December 2025. Some families felt relief when the minimum age started. Others worried about a child losing friends, support or a creative outlet. Many felt both.

This guide sets out, as of late August 2026, what the law requires, what research does and does not say about social media and young people’s mental health, and what the first official data shows. It then covers what to watch for, how to talk with your child and when to get help.

It does not argue for or against the law. Families hold different views, and your child’s wellbeing matters either way.

What the law does and does not do

The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 requires the provider of an “age-restricted social media platform” to take reasonable steps to prevent Australian children under 16 from having accounts.¹ That obligation started on 10 December 2025.²

In eSafety’s view, the platforms covered are Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube.² eSafety confirmed this had not changed after the rules were amended in March 2026, though the list can change as services evolve.² Services whose main purpose is messaging, online gaming, education or health are excluded, and eSafety does not consider Discord, Messenger, WhatsApp, Roblox or YouTube Kids to be age-restricted.²

Three points often get lost:

• The obligation sits with platforms. There are no penalties for under-16s who access an age-restricted platform, or for their parents or carers.²
• It is about accounts, not viewing. Under-16s can still see public content that does not need a login, such as much of YouTube.²
• Accounts can be removed at any time. Platforms are expected to re-check age when there are signs a user is under 16, even after an earlier check.²

What the evidence says about social media and mental health

The research is genuinely mixed, so it helps to separate what is fairly well supported from what is still uncertain.

Where the concerns come from

A UK study of 10,904 14-year-olds found that more hours on social media were linked with higher depressive symptom scores, more strongly for girls than boys.⁴ The links appeared to run partly through online harassment, poor sleep, low self-esteem and poor body image.⁴ Because most of the data came from one point in time, it cannot show cause.

The US Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory found similar themes in the wider research: a review of 42 studies showed a consistent relationship between social media use and poorer sleep, a review of 36 studies linked cyberbullying with depression, and social comparison was associated with body dissatisfaction.⁶ Our pages on the comparison trap and sleep and insomnia look at both in more depth.

Why the picture is not simple

When Orben and Przybylski analysed three large datasets covering more than 355,000 adolescents, the association between digital technology use and wellbeing was negative but small, explaining at most 0.4% of the variation in wellbeing.⁵ Averages can hide very different experiences: some young people are harmed, many are not much affected, and some benefit.

The Surgeon General’s advisory also notes that social media can offer connection, support and self-expression, which may matter especially for LGBTQIA+ young people and others who are often marginalised.⁶ In Australia, headspace has noted that young people who depend on connecting virtually with their sources of support, including those in marginalised communities and rural and remote areas, may be particularly worried about the change.⁷ eSafety research has found that young people with disability are more likely than average to share their interests, seek health information and emotional support, and feel more like themselves online.⁸

The honest summary: how, how much and what a young person uses matters more than a simple yes or no, and losing access will affect each child differently.

What the first months have shown

eSafety is running a two-year evaluation with Stanford University’s Social Media Lab, following more than 4,000 children and their parents.³ Its first report, published in July 2026 using survey data from March and April 2026, found that:

• the share of 10 to 15-year-olds holding at least one age-restricted account fell from 52.4% to 42.1%; children who kept an account most often said the platform had not yet checked their age³
• most children (65.4%) said the restrictions had no impact on them; a small proportion found it harder to communicate or felt less connected, while others reported less pressure to be on social media³
• daily use of messaging platforms rose from 40.5% to 52.3%, and daily online gaming from 26.4% to 29.0%³
• among children who used social media, the share of parents who did not know about it rose from 23.3% to 33.3%.³

eSafety stresses that it is too soon to judge long-term effects on wellbeing.³ For parents, though, the last two points are worth noticing.

What to watch for after the change

Every child responds differently, but these patterns are worth watching:

• Loss of connection. A child who relied on a particular group or online community may feel cut off, especially if friends still have accounts. Children who already find in-person socialising hard, including those living with social anxiety, may feel this more.
• Workarounds. Some children list an older age, use someone else’s account or try a VPN. eSafety warns that people offering under-16s fake ID or an age-verified account may be running scams, grooming or sextortion.²
• Secrecy. A child who is hiding an account may not tell you if something goes wrong there.
• Moving to less safe spaces. eSafety notes that online harms can also happen on apps that are not age-restricted, including messaging and gaming platforms.² Voice chat, direct messages and big group chats can bring contact with strangers, exclusion or bullying.
• Wider changes. Shifts in sleep, appetite or irritability, dropping out of activities, or reluctance to go to school (see our guide to school refusal) are signs to check in, whatever the cause.

Notice good changes too, such as better sleep, more time together or less pressure, and name them with your child.

How to talk with your child about it

Children tend to share more when they feel listened to rather than lectured. Some approaches:

1. Start with curiosity. Ask what they have noticed among friends and classmates and how they feel about it. eSafety suggests aiming to make your child feel heard.²
2. Map what matters. Ask which people and communities matter most, and work out other ways to stay in touch, such as swapping phone numbers with close friends.
3. Keep the door open. Tell your child that if something upsetting happens on any app, you want to know, and they will not be in trouble for telling you. eSafety says children will not get into trouble for being on a platform when they report harm.² Talk, too, about what to do if anyone asks them for images, money or secrecy.
4. Protect sleep together. The Surgeon General’s advisory suggests limiting phones, tablets and computers for at least an hour before bed and through the night.⁶ This tends to work better as a family rule.
5. Model it yourself. Children notice how adults use their phones, and small changes in your own habits make the conversation fairer.

If these talks often become arguments, our article on family dynamics and mental health may help.

When to get help

Consider getting support if:

• your child’s low mood, worry, irritability or withdrawal keeps going for weeks or is getting worse
• sleep, eating, schoolwork, attendance or friendships are clearly affected
• your child has been bullied, threatened or exploited online
• your child talks about feeling hopeless, or about self-harm or suicide, in which case seek help urgently.

Your GP is a good first step. They can check how your child is going and talk with you about a Mental Health Treatment Plan (often called a mental health care plan), which can give access to Medicare rebates for sessions with a psychologist. A psychologist can work with a young person on anxiety, low mood, friendship difficulties or upsetting online experiences, and can support parents too.

If something harmful has happened online, such as cyberbullying or threats to share intimate images, you or your child can report it to eSafety at esafety.gov.au/report. Children and young people aged 5 to 25 can also talk with Kids Helpline, free and 24/7, on 1800 55 1800 or at kidshelpline.com.au.

At Mind Health we see adolescents, young adults and parents in Parramatta and by telehealth; our support for families page explains more.

Frequently asked questions

Will my child or I get in trouble if they still have a social media account?

No. The law places the obligation on platforms, which must take reasonable steps to stop under-16s having accounts. eSafety says there are no penalties for under-16s or for their parents or carers. Accounts can still be removed at any time, so help your child save the photos and contacts they value.

Can my child still use YouTube, WhatsApp or Roblox?

YouTube is age-restricted for accounts, but under-16s can still watch publicly available videos without logging in. eSafety does not currently consider WhatsApp, Messenger, Discord, Roblox or YouTube Kids to be age-restricted social media platforms. This can change if a service’s features or use change.

Does social media cause depression in teenagers?

The research does not show a simple cause and effect. Some studies link heavy use with more depressive symptoms, partly through poor sleep, online harassment and body image concerns. Across very large datasets, though, the average association is small, and online connection supports some young people. How, how much and what a child uses all matter.

My child seems lonelier since losing their accounts. What can I do?

Take it seriously and stay curious. Ask who they miss most and help them find other ways to stay in touch, such as phone numbers, catch-ups, or a club or team. If the loneliness lasts for weeks, or comes with low mood, poor sleep or withdrawal, talk with your GP or a psychologist.

What if my child has found a way around the restrictions?

Keep talking rather than focusing only on enforcement. The law does not penalise children or parents, but eSafety warns that people offering fake ID or age-verified accounts may be scammers or offenders. Above all, make sure your child knows they can tell you if something goes wrong online without getting into trouble.

References

1. Australian Government (2024). Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 (No. 127, 2024). Federal Register of Legislation. https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2024A00127/asmade/text
2. eSafety Commissioner (2026). Social media ‘ban’ or delay FAQs. Australian Government. https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions/faqs
3. eSafety Commissioner (2026). Early days, early insights: Understanding experiences of social media age restrictions at the three-month follow-up. Australian Government. https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/social-media-age-restrictions-evaluation/early-days-early-insights-three-months-report
4. Kelly, Y., Zilanawala, A., Booker, C., & Sacker, A. (2018). Social media use and adolescent mental health: Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. EClinicalMedicine, 6, 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.12.005
5. Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173-182. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0506-1
6. Office of the U.S. Surgeon General (2023). Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf
7. headspace (2024). headspace prioritises support, education and advocacy amid social media changes [Media release]. headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation. https://headspace.org.au/our-organisation/media-releases/headspace-prioritises-support-education-and-advocacy-amid-social-media-changes/
8. eSafety Commissioner (2023). A new playground: The digital lives of young people with disability. Australian Government. https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/digital-lives-of-young-people-with-disability

Related reading

• What Is Digital Burnout
• Nurturing Empathy in Teenagers
• How to Actually Help Someone Who’s Struggling

This article is general information only and is not a substitute for personal advice from a qualified health professional. If you are concerned about your mental health, please speak with your GP or a psychologist.

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