Parents who lost children linked to online bullying and harmful social media content will front a Senate inquiry on Friday, demanding the government move swiftly to strengthen Australia's under-16s social media ban — the world-first law that came into force on 10 December 2025. Advocates, industry experts and several of the affected platforms are also set to appear at the hearing at Parliament House.

What the Inquiry Is About

The Senate inquiry is examining Labor's proposed changes to the existing social media ban, which currently applies to 10 platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and X. The ban was designed to shield children from online harms, and Australia's approach has drawn international attention as part of a broader global shift in online age verification laws by country.

Concerns about the ban's effectiveness emerged after eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant issued an update in March indicating that some platforms had not taken reasonable steps to uphold the restrictions. In response, the Labor government introduced legislation that would double penalties for platforms found in breach of age restrictions and give the eSafety commissioner expanded powers to investigate compliance. Commissioner Inman Grant is also expected to give evidence at Friday's hearing.

Parents Urge Parliament to Act Without Delay

Two parents — Mia Bannister and Emma Mason — are set to address the inquiry, urging lawmakers to pass the strengthened legislation as quickly as possible. Both women have experienced the loss of a child to suicide, which they attribute in part to online bullying and harmful content circulating on social media platforms.

"Ultimately, this inquiry is not simply about strengthening regulatory powers," Bannister and Mason said in a joint statement. "It is about ensuring that the protections parliament has already promised Australian children can be meaningfully delivered."

The pair have also called for lived experience and research to be embedded in future policy development, arguing that this approach is essential to maintaining Australia's standing as a world leader in social media law.

How the Platforms Are Responding

Four major social media platforms face questioning at Friday's hearing. YouTube and TikTok have each used inquiry submissions to detail their compliance efforts and signalled willingness to cooperate with the eSafety commissioner as the rules evolve.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, revealed on Thursday that it had removed more than 750,000 accounts from its two platforms between December and June — 462,000 from Instagram and 294,000 from Facebook.

X, formerly Twitter, will not be providing live evidence at the inquiry but has lodged a submission raising objections to the proposed changes. The platform argued that expectations to compel evidence were unrealistic, that increased penalties were "disproportionate and inappropriate," and that broadening the commissioner's powers risked subjecting "ordinary Australians" to investigation.

Calls for a Broader Digital Duty of Care

The inquiry has also reignited debate about whether penalty-based regulation goes far enough. Digital rights organisation Electronic Frontiers Australia has renewed calls for the government to instead pursue a digital duty of care framework. Chair John Pane said he held "no particular view" on the proposed enhancements to the eSafety commissioner's powers but questioned the office's overall effectiveness in holding platforms to account.

The outcome of Friday's hearing is expected to shape the pace and direction of legislation that supporters say is critical to giving Australia's landmark social media ban genuine teeth.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25).