ySafe | The Social Media Ban: What's Changing and Who is Responsible

As Australian schools navigate the shift toward the government social media ban, many educators, leaders, and families are seeking clear guidance on what happens next.

We understand schools are asking critical questions: What exactly is changing? How will this impact young people? And how can our community prepare for the transition?

At ySafe, we’re committed to helping schools navigate this major moment in online safety by providing clear, practical, and expert advice. We’ve consolidated essential guides and practical tools into a central place to help your school transition with confidence.

What Schools Need to Know About the 2025 Social Media Ban

The main point of the new law is that children under 16 will not be allowed to have social media accounts starting December 10, 2025.

It is important to understand that the responsibility for enforcement lies primarily with the platforms, not the students.

Key Details of the Change:

• Platform Responsibility: Young people are not breaking the law by using social media; the responsibility rests with platforms, which must detect and not allow underage accounts.
• Covered Platforms: The restriction includes major platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook.
• Age Verification: Platforms must now take “reasonable steps” to verify users’ ages, moving beyond simple self-declaration. These "reasonable steps" may involve a combination of Age Verification, Age Estimation, and Age Inference, using methods such as facial ID scanning, biometrics, and document verification.
• Location: Platforms will be required to take steps to determine if an account holder ‘usually’ lives in Australia.
  
  

Why the Ban Matters: Addressing Collective Safety Concerns

We still believe bans don't alter behaviour, but the main goal of the new law is to allow young people more time to build the skills and maturity necessary to manage, report, and avoid challenging content when they inevitably revisit these platforms later.

The legislation addresses serious concerns shared by students and parents, including:

• Limiting young people's exposure to adult topics and content that is difficult to process, especially when forcibly presented to them by an algorithm.
• Addressing digital distraction and excessive screen time.
  
• Combating toxic online behaviour and cyberbullying.

While no two children are the same, the Australian Parliament voted for a measure that prioritises the collective safety of all young people.

It's also important to emphasise that exposure to problematic conduct, content, or contacts isn’t limited to the platforms subject to the ban, and young people will probably still need support in managing their digital lives. School communities need to promote open discussion and prepare for the upcoming changes.

Preparing for Digital Displacement and New Challenges

A significant consideration for schools is "digital displacement." As restrictions increase on major platforms, students may turn to alternative spaces:

• New Platforms: Students may seek out other apps (often less restrictive and unsafe).
• Group & Gaming Chats: They may move toward gaming chats or platforms like Discord, where toxic behaviour and group chats can sometimes rival social media platforms. The legislation focuses on a platform’s “sole purpose,” meaning gaming platforms do not technically fall under the social media ban, even though communication is often essential for gameplay.
• Encrypted Apps: Students may turn to encrypted communication apps.
  Staying alert to this potential shift is a crucial step in preparing your school community.
  

How Schools Can Prepare Now: Your Go-To Resource Checklist

You don’t need to have all the answers immediately, but taking small steps now can help staff, parents, and students feel supported.

Practical Steps Schools Can Take:

• Staff Briefing: Brief staff and leadership teams on the changes and reassure them that there is no legal obligation to disclose or police underage accounts.
• Parent Information: Share clear information and resources with parents.
• Student Support: Support students in developing healthy digital habits with education, conversations and making them part of the discussions. 
• Monitor Displacement: Stay alert to students migrating into new apps and online spaces.

We have the following resources available :

• Parent + Staff Resource (FAQ): A simple FAQ covering what parents need to know.
• Staff Resource (Guide): Everything schools need to know in the lead up to the Social Media Delay.
• Staff Resource (Top Tips): Our top tips schools need to know.

These guides and resources are available here to download.

Structuring Community Support for the Transition

For schools seeking to create a cohesive approach, this topic is best approached as a shared conversation. When students, staff, and families hear consistent messages, it creates real clarity and momentum.

To structure your school’s preparation effectively, we suggest focusing on three key conversational areas:

1. What’s Changing: Clearly explaining what the ban means and how the rollout will occur.
2. Why It Matters: Understanding the purpose behind the legislation and its impact on young people
3. How to Prepare: Practical, age-appropriate strategies to guide students and support families.

This holistic approach helps reinforce positive, responsible digital habits across the whole digital landscape, connecting the dots between affected platforms and those that aren't.