Australian Social Media Family Moves to UK to Avoid Teen Online Ban

A popular Australian family of content creators is relocating to the UK ahead of Australia’s upcoming social media ban for under-16s.

The “Empire Family” — mums Beck and Bec Lea, 17-year-old Prezley and 14-year-old Charlotte — shared that they will move from Perth to London before December. The switch allows Charlotte to continue posting online, as Australia will soon restrict social media access for anyone under 16.

The family has millions of followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Their vlogs feature daily life, travel clips, gaming videos, and lifestyle content. Charlotte alone has nearly one million combined followers, with her parents managing her accounts.

Why They’re Leaving Australia

Australia’s new law will require major platforms — including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and X — to block under-16 users and remove existing accounts. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines up to A$50 million.

The policy aims to protect children from online harm. However, the Empire Family says they support the idea but worry the rules are unclear.

“We understand it’s to protect young people,” mum Beck said. “But we use the internet for good, and it’s not defined exactly how this will work.”

The family is concerned the rollout may be messy, with issues around identity checks, parental approval, and even facial recognition tools. Critics also say the ban could raise privacy risks.

Why the UK?

All four family members hold dual UK-Australian citizenship, making the move simple. Charlotte has also shifted to online schooling, meaning they can live anywhere.

With 2.8 million subscribers on Prezley’s channel and 1.8 million on their family channel, the group says they want to keep creating content while Australia figures out the logistics.

Their message to fans: they are not rejecting safety rules — they just want to keep doing what they love.