Social media at 16: what changed in a year and what it means for your family

On 10 December 2025, Australia became the first country to require major social media platforms to stop under-16s from having accounts. This coming 10 December marks one year, and the same questions are coming up in homes everywhere: is this coming here? What's the right age for social media? And what about WhatsApp?

This guide sums up what changed in Australia, what the UK and the US are doing, and what you can do at home, whatever the law says where you live.

In short:

• In Australia, the share of under-16s with a social media account fell from 52% to 42% in the first three months. It's a drop, but many are still on social media.
• The UK plans to ban social media for under-16s from spring 2027. In the US, the main federal rule, COPPA, is about under-13s, and the federal bills haven't passed.
• Australia lists WhatsApp as not age-restricted, and the UK says messaging stays available; the US Kids Online Safety Act, as drafted, would cover messaging apps. Among the signals Xoul detects in families that use it, 1 in 4 about friendships comes from a WhatsApp group chat.

What Australia did, and what happened in the first year

Australia's law, the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, requires platforms to take "reasonable steps" to stop under-16s from creating or keeping an account. The regulator, eSafety, considers Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick and Reddit to be age-restricted.

In eSafety's view, these are not age-restricted, among others: WhatsApp, Messenger, Discord, Roblox, YouTube Kids and Google Classroom. The law's rules exclude standalone messaging apps and online gaming. The list can change, and a court decides in the end. And there are no penalties for children or parents; fines apply to platforms.

So what happened? By mid-December 2025, platforms had restricted 4.7 million under-16 accounts (accounts, not people). In July 2026, eSafety published the first findings of its evaluation, which follows more than 4,000 children and families:

• Under-16s with at least one account on an age-restricted platform fell from 52.4% to 42.1%.
• Those using those platforms, with or without an account, fell less: from 85.9% to 81.5%.
• Most under-16s who already had accounts were able to keep them or open new ones. eSafety cites platforms' failure to put effective age checks in place as the main reason, and says the report is not an assessment of whether they complied with the law.
• Fewer kids felt they were missing out by not having social media: down from 43.3% to 36.3%.

eSafety also flagged something every parent will recognise: in some groups, especially girls and 10- to 12-year-olds, parents knew less about what their children were doing on social media. Its takeaway is that open conversation at home still matters. In September 2026, Parliament passed a bill to strengthen eSafety's enforcement powers. Results from the evaluation will keep being published until 2028, so it's too early to say whether the law is meeting its goals.

What's happening in the UK and the US

A general summary as of 16 October 2026 (not legal advice). It helps to separate what already applies from what has been announced or is still a bill:

• United Kingdom, now: under the Online Safety Act, since the children's codes took effect in 2025, platforms likely to be used by children must protect them from harmful content, including age checks for porn and the most harmful material.
• United Kingdom, announced: on 15 June 2026 the government said social media companies will no longer be able to offer their services to under-16s. In its July 2026 response, it plans to lay the first regulations before Parliament by the end of 2026, with the restrictions expected to come into force in spring 2027. It has said children will still be able to use messaging services to stay in touch with family and friends.
• United States, now: the federal rule is COPPA, which requires parental consent to collect data from children under 13, which is why many apps set 13 as their minimum age.
• United States, bills: the Kids Online Safety Act cleared a Senate committee in August 2026 but hasn't had a full Senate vote, and the House-passed KIDS Act is waiting in the Senate. Neither is law. Many states have passed their own laws, and their situation varies by state.

When kids get phones and social media today

While the rules are debated, everyday life has moved ahead. Each study measures something different, so it's best not to compare countries directly:

• United Kingdom: phone ownership jumps from 56% of 10-year-olds to 83% of 11-year-olds, around the move to secondary school, according to Ofcom's 2026 children's media report. A quarter of parents (25%) would let their child have a social media profile before the minimum age, and only a third know that the minimum for most platforms is 13.
• Australia: before the law, 85.9% of under-16s in eSafety's study were using social media, with or without an account.

In other words: law or no law, many kids have a phone and social media before the age platforms ask for. So the conversation at home can't wait for the rules to change.

And messaging? What the rules say

Each rule says it differently. Australia lists WhatsApp as not age-restricted. The UK says children will keep access to messaging services to stay in touch with family and friends. The US Kids Online Safety Act, as drafted, names messaging applications among the services it covers; it hasn't passed.

WhatsApp is one of the places where a big part of social life happens for many kids. Here's what the signals Xoul detected in the WhatsApp chats of families that use Xoul showed in August and September 2026:

• 1 in 4 signals about friendships and peers came from a group chat; the other 3 came from one-to-one chats.
• When the signal was about being left out (for example, not being invited or finding out about plans late), 4 in 10 came from a group chat.
• When it was bullying, about 1 in 3 came from a group chat. More in our guide to cyberbullying.

If access to social media comes later, class, team and friendship group chats may matter more. A minimum-age law may not reach those chats. Families can.

Signs to look out for when the rules change

When an app closes the door or asks for an older age, social life doesn't vanish: sometimes it moves elsewhere. A few signs worth noticing:

1. They're using a new app they've never mentioned, or an account with a different age.
2. They say "everyone" has something they don't, and feel left out of the group.
3. They hear about plans late, or stop mentioning friends they used to talk about.
4. Their mood changes after looking at their phone, or they hide it when you come near.
5. They spend more time in group chats and less on other things.

No single sign is a reason to panic. If several show up together and stick around, it's worth a calm chat.

This is what an Update looks like in the app. Example account with made-up data.

If you use Xoul, something like being left out of a group or a change in mood may show up in their report or in Updates, labelled ‘Attention’ when it needs care. Xoul doesn't show you their messages: it shows you how they're doing.

Before their first account: step by step

1. Check the minimum age of each app (13 for most) and what the law says where you live.
2. Ask what they want the account for and who with. Understanding why helps you decide together.
3. Set it up together: private account, who can message them, location off.
4. Agree family rules, like phone-free times and places, and review them now and then. Ideas in first phone: how to prepare as a family.
5. Don't forget WhatsApp: ask which group chats they're in and what to do if something feels off.

If you decide to wait, explain why and what they can do instead. Saying no without a reason often leads to accounts you don't know about.

How to talk about it at home

The minimum-age debate can be a good way to start a conversation without turning it into a lecture. A few ideas:

• "What do you think about Australia asking for 16 before social media?" Asking for their view opens more doors than giving yours.
• "Which group chats are you in, and which one do you use most?" Show interest in their world, not just their screen time.
• "If you ever feel left out of a group or something upsets you, you can tell me." And make sure they know you won't take their phone away for telling you.
• "What would you like us to do differently at home with screens?" Rules work better when they're theirs too.

If you use Xoul, the conversation idea in each report can help you get started. More in social media and teens: how to care without spying.

What you see in Xoul

This is what a report looks like: what was noticed and an idea for a conversation. Example account with made-up data.

Xoul supports families on WhatsApp, one of the places where many kids' social life happens. It connects to your child's WhatsApp with a QR code, always with their consent. AI supervised by a clinical team tells you how they're doing in regular reports: their mood, their friendships, what's worrying them and an idea for a conversation. If something needs attention, it may show up in the report or in Updates, and Trends shows you how things change over time.

What you never see are their messages, which are deleted after the system analyses them. Xoul doesn't analyse images either.

Frequently asked questions

Is social media already banned for under-16s where I live?

In Australia, platforms have had to keep under-16s off since 10 December 2025. In the UK, a ban is expected to come into force in spring 2027. In the US there's no federal under-16 rule; most platforms ask for 13 in their terms.

Is WhatsApp covered by these rules?

It depends on the rule. Australia lists it as not age-restricted, and the UK has said children will still be able to use messaging services; the US Kids Online Safety Act, as drafted, would cover messaging apps, but it hasn't passed. WhatsApp sets its own minimum age in its terms, which can vary by country.

Has the law worked in Australia?

It's too early to tell. After three months there were fewer under-16 accounts, but many children were still using social media. Results from the official evaluation will keep being published until 2028.

How can I support them on WhatsApp without reading their messages?

Through conversation, agreements and, if you like, Xoul: you see how they're doing in reports and Updates, without access to their chats and always with their consent.

Staying involved, not just waiting for the law

Laws can set limits for platforms, but they can't replace an adult who's around to ask, listen and agree on things together. And on WhatsApp, where so much of their social life happens, that support starts at home.

Your first Xoul report is free, arrives in 10 minutes and needs no card. Download Xoul and start today.