From December 10, and likely earlier, the social media profiles of Australians under 16 will go dark. Platforms will be obliged to deny under-16s applying for new accounts, and those newly turned 16 may struggle to prove their age.

Much of the coverage of the issue thus far has focused on worthy questions like what good the age requirements will ultimately do, why the government has made the choices it has made, how social media companies will comply, and what negative impacts kids and teens may face. But here, we’re focusing on the practical. The ban is happening, so here’s what you need to know and what you can do.

Teens may be upset that something they like is being taken away, but with some help they may find there are plenty of alternatives to TikTok and Instagram.Credit: Pexels

Australia’s new restrictions are a world first. The government has argued that social media companies have failed to make their products safe for kids, and so it is taking steps to keep those under 16 off social media entirely.

A platform will be subject to the restriction if it has the sole or significant purpose of enabling online social interaction, allowing users to post content and interact with other users. However, there are also a range of exclusions, including for online games, and apps focused purely on messaging. So far, the platforms that the government considers subject to the restriction are:

To comply with the law and avoid significant fines, these platforms will need to take reasonable measures to exclude users under 16 from December 10.

If they are under 16 and on any of these platforms, they’ll likely receive a notice or notification that their account is being closed or frozen. If they’re 16 or over they may be asked to verify their age, depending on how the platform is complying.

Ultimately though, the rules mean under 16s will not be able to use these platforms going forward. If they’re accustomed to consuming content, reading news, keeping up with influencers or connecting with their friends on the platforms, they may be facing a significant change to their digital life. If they were looking forward to using one of these platforms at 13, they face an additional three-year wait.

Every teen is different and the list of affected apps is broad enough that there will likely be a variety of impacts. Some may not be bothered at all, while others may feel that their entire connection to certain friends is being severed.

Some may feel like their membership to........

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