Which major social platform was NOT included in Australia's under-16 social media ban that took effect December 2025?

Australia's new legislation, which took effect in December 2025, raised the minimum age for creating social media accounts to 16, aiming to protect young people from online harms such as cyberbullying, harmful content, and addictive algorithms. The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 requires platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, X, and TikTok to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts. Companies face substantial penalties, up to $49.5 million, for non-compliance. This "world-first" initiative reflects growing global concerns about the impact of digital platforms on adolescent development and mental health.

However, certain online services were specifically exempt from these new age restrictions. Messaging applications, such as WhatsApp, were not included in the ban. The Australian government's reasoning behind this exemption was to strike a balance between safeguarding young people and ensuring they retain access to essential communication services. This distinction highlights that the legislation primarily targets the broad, public-facing social interaction and content-sharing aspects of social media, rather than private, direct communication tools.

Other exempted services include online gaming, professional networking and development platforms, and those primarily used for education or health support. The eSafety Commissioner, responsible for enforcing the law, continues to assess platforms and may update the list of age-restricted services. This nuanced approach seeks to mitigate the perceived risks of widespread social media engagement for minors while allowing for necessary digital interactions in other contexts.