On 10 December 2025, the Albanese Government’s social media ban took effect, with major social media platforms instructed to start blocking children aged under 16 from creating accounts or face hefty fines if they fail to comply.
The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which passed Parliament in late November 2024, forces several social media giants to take “reasonable steps” to keep under-16s off their platforms — or risk fines of up to $50m.
While schools are not charged with enforcement, the law is poised to influence school operational practices, shape community expectations, and affect student wellbeing.
Further, where the change will impact how schools operate and how students communicate and connect with each other, there is likely to be some flow-through to schools in terms of student behaviour and student engagement, followed by the risk of students seeking unregulated platforms for communication.
Megan Kavanagh and Jay Keenan, from Colin Biggers & Paisley’s Employment & Safety team, are two legal experts who help schools, as well as clients in many other industries, navigate the complexities of employment law, industrial relations, workplace safety and disputes.
Below, The Educator speaks to Kavanagh and Keenan about how schools can support vulnerable students, manage emerging online risks, update digital policies, and set clear boundaries with families in the wake of Australia’s social media age-ban.
TE: With the social media age-ban now in effect, many young people (especially marginalised students) may feel abruptly cut off from their usual peer networks. What practical steps can schools take to support those students emotionally without drifting into the territory of “policing” their online lives?
With the social media age-ban now in place in Australia, experts have warned that some students—especially those who have depended on online spaces for connection—may feel isolated or anxious. Encouraging real-world connection through in-person clubs, group activities, and safe, school-managed messaging will be key to supporting students. Some students, like those who are neurodivergent or from LGBTQ+ communities, might need extra support to form connections. This may be particularly challenging over the extended summer holiday period.
Where we are already seeing students seeking alternative social media platforms for connection, it is also important to keep communication with students and families around online access open. Punitive measures might undermine a student’s confidence in coming forward about problematic experiences. Schools are continuing to encourage open conversations, reassuring students that seeking help will not result in disciplinary action, even if they have bent the rules.
TE: Experts have warned that these reforms might push some teens toward unregulated or unsafe online spaces. How can schools talk honestly with families about this risk without creating panic or unrealistic expectations about what schools can actually monitor or control?
It is important to be upfront about this risk: teens have and will find workarounds, possibly venturing into riskier online territory. It is not the job of schools to monitor unregulated spaces. Families cannot reasonably expect schools to play that role. That said, if unsafe online practices like cyberbullying or sexting impact safety at school, then those practices may become a school issue.
Lessons around digital safety will remain key to ensuring student safety. Share what you know with families and students. Direct parents to practical, evidence-based advice and encourage them to keep the conversation going at home. There is no place for blame or panic in such communications. Where these online platforms introduce new and often enhanced risks, students and parents must feel confident and supported to manage online risks of harm.
TE: Most Australian schools already have digital citizenship policies, but the new landscape puts fresh cracks in old systems. What are the biggest blind spots you’re seeing in school policies right now, and how should leaders reshape them, so they’re fit for purpose in 2026 and beyond?
Most importantly, remember the social media age-ban does not apply to all students. Traditional social media policies still remain key but need to be updated to account for the rapid change and increased risk to children in the online environment.
These policies must be seen as part of a safeguarding system, rather than simply setting standards for conduct. As such, they should start with a documented risk assessment. Policies should then be adapted or amended to reflect and respond to that risk. Consultation is key to ensuring schools understand the risk and that policies meaningfully respond.
In Queensland, for example, Child Safe Standard 8—mandatory for schools from 1 January 2026—requires schools to maintain safe online environments. To meet this standard, Queensland Family and Child Commission advice supports regular policy reviews, addressing emerging risks, and ensuring child-focused, accessible reporting and support for students.
TE: Another concern about these reforms is that staff are bracing for an influx of parent complaints, confusion, and blame-shifting now that the ban is in effect. What advice would you give school principals for setting boundaries with parents early, so the school isn’t dragged into enforcing a law that was never theirs to enforce?
Setting expectations and defining responsibilities early is key. Parents need to be aware of where the school’s role starts and ends, what they personally might be responsible for, and the role of regulators. While enforcement of the social media age-ban is a legal requirement for platforms, it is not something schools are responsible for enforcing.
At all times, schools should expect respect from families. Families should avoid taking matters into their own hands by confronting students or other families, as this can increase risk rather than manage it.
School newsletters, meetings, online platforms, and policies are effective places to set expectations, confirm processes, and define obligations. If parents are concerned about their child being on a platform, direct them to regulators, while ensuring there is a clear process for addressing behaviour or conduct that affects students at school. Clear boundaries help ensure concerns are addressed—and complaints redirected—appropriately.