As Australia prepares to become the first country to enforce a social media ban for teenagers under the age of 16 in December 2025, technology giant Meta will today begin deactivating the Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts of users it believes are affected.

A new report launched by the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY) warns that this landmark policy, while intended to protect young people from online harms, severely risks the settlement success and well-being of multicultural and newly arrived teenagers. The report, titled Blocked: The Social Media Ban, Multicultural Young People and Settlement, highlights that a blanket ban alone will not solve digital safety concerns.

The CMY conducted consultations with young people, families, and frontline workers to explore the potential impacts of the ban. Key findings show that social media is integral to the lives of newly arrived young people. It functions as a primary tool for maintaining vital connections with family and friends overseas and for building new friendships and social networks in their new Australian home. Furthermore, these platforms are essential for accessing information about local services, events, and opportunities, making them the most accessible way for some to gain relevant support.

The report warns that the ban risks “digital exclusion,” which could cause harm to mental health, increase social isolation, and disrupt successful settlement outcomes for these youth. Although experiences of racism and cyberbullying are common on social media, the platforms also provide crucial opportunities for solidarity, support, and collective action.

Multicultural young people and their supporters acknowledge concerns regarding social media addiction and excessive screen time. However, the report stresses that outright bans are unlikely to change behavior, suggesting that additional measures are necessary to support healthy digital behaviors.

Newly arrived and multicultural young people emphasized their desire to participate in finding solutions, seeking opportunities to contribute to policy development and to co-design digital safety initiatives.

To mitigate the likely negative impacts of the Social Media Ban, the CMY report outlined several evidence-based recommendations for governments, policymakers, and communities:

• Policy Participation: The Australian Government and State/Territory Governments must ensure young people are given the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to legislation and policies that impact them.

• Digital Inclusion: Digital inclusion must be included as a core settlement outcome for young people. This would ensure that pathways—both digital and non-digital—for building social connections are accessible to those under 16.

• Online Protections: The Government must strengthen protections against online racism and discrimination, requiring stronger moderation of content and algorithms. This includes requiring social media platforms to implement content and algorithm filters, enforce content moderation to block hateful material, and ensure content is removed immediately.

• Literacy Support: Digital literacy support must be enhanced for multicultural and newly arrived communities and young people.

• Community Investment: The Government must engage with and invest in existing culturally inclusive online ‘third spaces’ and community-led digital belonging initiatives.

The findings highlight that while protecting young people online is essential, addressing digital safety for multicultural youth requires nuanced strategies that acknowledge their unique reliance on platforms for connection and settlement, rather than relying solely on preventative measures. The ban, without sufficient accompanying support, acts like cutting off a vital communication lifeline for newly arrived individuals who are still learning to navigate a new environment.