How Apple is Helping Apps Comply With Australia's Social Media Ban for Kids

[MacRumors]

Australia's new social media law goes into effect on December 10, 2025, and ahead of that date, Apple is sharing information on developer tools that are designed to help social media apps adhere to the law.

Children under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to use Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube (except for YouTube Kids), Snapchat, X, Twitch, Threads, and Kick in Australia, and those apps have to take "reasonable steps" to remove underage users from their platforms starting Wednesday. Apps will also need to prevent new signups from users under the age of 16, and there is a one-year transition period before penalties will begin.

To assist developers, Apple provides the Declared Age Range API, which gives developers access to the age range of users. Other tools available include an option for an age suitability URL that provides more information on the app and its age-related content, app description pages that indicate age restrictions, and tools for setting higher minimum age ranges.

Platforms that don't deactivate accounts created by children will face serious fines. Australia may also add more apps to its banned list over time, depending on the apps that kids adopt after not being able to access their current favorites.

Australia is the first country to implement a total social media ban for children.

More information is available on Apple's developer website.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: How Apple is Helping Apps Comply With Australia's Social Media Ban for Kids

 

[tyranne201]

Children under 16? Lol

 

[I7guy]

Government stepping in for parents.

 

[RemedyRabbit]

Government stepping in for parents.

Government giving hard working parents a helping hand

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Government giving hard working parents a helping hand

What does hard working have to do with enabling parental controls on a device that they buy and hand to their child?

 

[RemedyRabbit]

What does hard working have to do with enabling parental controls on a device that they buy and hand to their child?

Now they don’t have to worry about it, which is easier than having to worry about it. Particularly true when you’ve already got too much else to worry about, as most parents do.

Pretty simple really.

It’s a hugely popular law in Oz for a reason buddy.

 

[CharlesShaw]

"I'm not like a regular mom, I'm a cool mom"

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

It’s ALWAYS about •Controlling• people. It’s NEVER About helping them.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Australia is at the end of the world and some people even live in a lonely area of Australia. How can they live without social media?

 

[RemedyRabbit]

It’s ALWAYS about •Controlling• people. It’s NEVER About helping them.

And that’s exactly why they’ve banned social media for kids 😉

 

[ZipZilla]

This will be interesting to watch.

On the one hand it is nanny government. On the other hand, social media is toxic and nothing good comes from it for kids

 

[I7guy]

Now they don’t have to worry about it, which is easier than having to worry about it. Particularly true when you’ve already got too much else to worry about, as most parents do.

Pretty simple really.

It’s a hugely popular law in Oz for a reason buddy.

Hey buddy. Again government doing a parents job. Governmental nannies. More overreach.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Now they don’t have to worry about it, which is easier than having to worry about it.

I’m not discrediting the new law - I actually applaud it - my issue is you bring ‘hard working’ parents into the argument.

When you buy a smart device, you’re buying a Pandora’s box and any adult is aware of this. It takes less than 5 minutes to set up parental controls on an Apple device. Where does the ‘worrying’ come into this?

A parent has to take ownership over their actions.

 

[Boeingfan]

Australia is at the end of the world and some people even live in a lonely area of Australia. How can they live without social media?

Social media is a toxic mess that gives a voice to everyone, including those who don’t deserve one. Kids need to be able to be kids without harassment, bullying or predators 24/7, which is why this ban was brought in. Social media doesn’t help kids be kids. Celebrities et al talk about the toxicity of social media and how it impacts their mental health, and these are adults with access to paid therapists; kids don’t need that additional negative input in their lives, there is much more to growing up than staring at a screen and all the trolls.

 

[amancalledsun]

Government stepping in for parents.

Just like Texas, and all the other places that have introduced age verification requirements rather than let parents actually parent their kids. Ironically, pornography is arguably less toxic than social media. 🤣

 

[RemedyRabbit]

Hey buddy. Again government doing a parents job. Governmental nannies. More overreach.

Hey yeah maybe we should repeal smoking laws and give tobacco companies free rein to advertise at kids, it’ll be fine the parents will just have to do parenting better.

 

[Boeingfan]

Australia is at the end of the world and some people even live in a lonely area of Australia. How can they live without social media?

America is at the end of the world on the top side, how would they do it? Give them guns?

 

[Boeingfan]

This will be interesting to watch.

On the one hand it is nanny government. On the other hand, social media is toxic and nothing good comes from it for kids

And sometimes you just need to step in and say enough is enough and take the toys away that aren’t productive.

 

[@Brett]

Government stepping in for parents.

I know you think your comment may be right. But we are seeing to many kids committing suicide due to cyber bullying through social media apps. It’s clear the social media platforms cannot handle these issues. So the government stepped in. Parent still need to parent. But let’s face not all parents should be parents.

 

[aidler]

As harsh as this law seems. This is probably the right way to save developing brains from the brunt of the social media onslaught

 

[Ursadorable]

I know you think your comment may be right. But we are seeing to many kids committing suicide due to cyber bullying through social media apps. It’s clear the social media platforms cannot handle these issues. So the government stepped in. Parent still need to parent. But let’s face not all parents should be parents.

Your right of course, but the gov't shouldn't be regulating it.

Bad parents are the problem, and social media is happy to step in and take advantage of it to boost their profit margins.

 

[contacos]

They just want everyone's data assuming there is a verification process put in place for every user to make sure they really are over 16. Bye bye online anonymity + Five Eyes so a dream sure to be shared with others

 

[Boeingfan]

Just like Texas, and all the other places that have introduced age verification requirements rather than let parents actually parent their kids. Ironically, pornography is arguably less toxic than social media. 🤣

Parents need tools to help keep kids within guardrails. Kids do not get free rein to the world.

 

[RemedyRabbit]

Your right of course, but the gov't shouldn't be regulating it.

Bad parents are the problem, and social media is happy to step in and take advantage of it to boost their profit margins.

That scenario is exactly why a responsible government should act - to protect helpless kids from bad parenting and nefarious money grabbing bastards who want to poison their brains for profit.

Or should governments not protect children?

 

[entropys]

Government giving hard working parents a helping hand

Government finding out where everyone goes on the internet becuase “won’t someone think of the children!”
It requires a digital id.