Australian Social-Media Family Relocate to UK Ahead of Under-16 Social-Media Ban
Popular influencer family leaves Australia for UK so their teenage daughter can continue content creation after Canberra’s incoming ban
A notable Australian influencer family has announced they are relocating to the United Kingdom ahead of Australia’s upcoming national ban on social-media accounts for under-16s.
The family, known as the “Empire Family” and comprising parents Beck and Bec Lea, their 17-year-old son Prezley and their 14-year-old daughter Charlotte (who creates content under the alias Charli), say the move is necessary so their daughter can continue producing social-media content uninterrupted.
Australia’s legislation, approved in November 2024 and set to take full effect in late 2025, prohibits platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube from allowing under-16s to create or hold accounts.
Penalties for platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to enforce the age limit can reach up to A$50 million (about US$33 million).
In a video announcing the move from Perth to London, Beck Lea stated the family supported the intent of the ban, saying: “We understand that it is protecting young people from harm on the internet.
But we use the internet for good.” Bec Lea added that social media had evolved and that many younger people “are making a difference for good” on those platforms.
The family holds dual British-Australian citizenship and said their daughter’s switch to online schooling made an international base viable.
The 14-year-old Charlotte’s channels include approximately half a million YouTube subscribers, 300,000 TikTok followers and nearly 200,000 Instagram followers.
Her older brother’s main channel has around 2.8 million subscribers, and the family’s primary YouTube account follows at 1.8 million.
Australia’s ban is designed to shield younger teenagers from online harms including addiction, cyber-bullying and harmful content.
Enforcement methods remain under development, with proposals including parental approval, identity checks and various age-verification technologies.
Some experts caution that determined teens may still find workarounds such as VPNs or unregulated platforms.
The influencer family’s decision highlights one of the real-world impacts of the regulation on younger content creators and digital businesses operating across borders.
As the ban looms, more creators and businesses may seek relocations or adjustments to stay within global digital markets.
The family, known as the “Empire Family” and comprising parents Beck and Bec Lea, their 17-year-old son Prezley and their 14-year-old daughter Charlotte (who creates content under the alias Charli), say the move is necessary so their daughter can continue producing social-media content uninterrupted.
Australia’s legislation, approved in November 2024 and set to take full effect in late 2025, prohibits platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube from allowing under-16s to create or hold accounts.
Penalties for platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to enforce the age limit can reach up to A$50 million (about US$33 million).
In a video announcing the move from Perth to London, Beck Lea stated the family supported the intent of the ban, saying: “We understand that it is protecting young people from harm on the internet.
But we use the internet for good.” Bec Lea added that social media had evolved and that many younger people “are making a difference for good” on those platforms.
The family holds dual British-Australian citizenship and said their daughter’s switch to online schooling made an international base viable.
The 14-year-old Charlotte’s channels include approximately half a million YouTube subscribers, 300,000 TikTok followers and nearly 200,000 Instagram followers.
Her older brother’s main channel has around 2.8 million subscribers, and the family’s primary YouTube account follows at 1.8 million.
Australia’s ban is designed to shield younger teenagers from online harms including addiction, cyber-bullying and harmful content.
Enforcement methods remain under development, with proposals including parental approval, identity checks and various age-verification technologies.
Some experts caution that determined teens may still find workarounds such as VPNs or unregulated platforms.
The influencer family’s decision highlights one of the real-world impacts of the regulation on younger content creators and digital businesses operating across borders.
As the ban looms, more creators and businesses may seek relocations or adjustments to stay within global digital markets.
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