This is episode 4 of TPDi’s 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media: Inside the world-first online safety experiment.

In this episode, we do a deep dive into the practicalities of implementing the Social Media Minimum Age legislation. What is likely to happen on 10th December when the law comes into effect? We answer some of the main questions that Australian young people and their parents and carers might have.

We hear from the eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind, deputy program director of the Age Assurance Technology Trial Andrew Hammond, clinical psychologist Dr Danielle Einstein, Professor Amanda Third, co-director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University, and Minh Hoang, a member of the eSafety Commissioner’s Youth Advisory Council.

Links:

eSafety Commissioner’s Social Media age restrictions hub https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions-hub

eSafety appoints Stanford University-led academic advisory group to assess the impacts of the Social Media Minimum Age obligation (September 2025) https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/esafety-appoints-stanford-university-led-academic-advisory-group-to-assess-the-impacts-of-the-social-media-minimum-age-obligation

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) resources on the social media minimum age https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/social-media-minimum-age

The Dip, founded by Dr Danielle Einstein https://www.thedip.com/

Young Men Online https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/young-men-online

Cyberbullying https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/cyberbullying

Sextortion https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/image-based-abuse/deal-with-sextortion

Parental Controls https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/issues-and-advice/parental-controls

Press Conference: Social Media minimum Age Platform Assessments, Minister for Communications media release (November 2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9CIZK_12Zc

Meta announces it will begin implementing required changes from 4 December https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-19/meta-to-block-teens-from-instagram-facebook-week-early/106028014

Family Tech Agreement Template (eSaftey, good for younger children): https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources/family-tech-agreement

Family Tech Contract (Think you know, good for teenagers): https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/find-advice/building-safe-online-habits

Headspace guide to the social media ban https://headspace.org.au/our-impact/campaigns/social-media-ban/

ReachOut https://about.au.reachout.com/home

Kids Helpline https://kidshelpline.com.au/

Lode a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/social-media-minimum-age

Credits

Written and narrated by Johanna Weaver, Executive Director, Tech Policy Design Institute.

Produced by Olivia O’Flynn & Kate Montague, Audiocraft.

Research by Amy Denmeade.

Original music by Thalia Skopellos.

Created on the lands of the Ngunnawal, Ngambri people and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

Special thanks to all the team at the Tech Policy Design Institute, without whom the pod would not be possible, especially Zoe Hawkins, Meredith Hodgman, and Dorina Wittmann.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.