Australia Bans Social Media Use for Children Under 16

Australia passed a law on Thursday banning social media use for children under the age of 16, positioning Canberra as a leader in imposing one of the strictest legal measures targeting major tech companies.

According to Reuters, the new law mandates that major tech platforms, including Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook, as well as TikTok, prevent minors from logging into their platforms. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (32 million U.S. dollars).

A trial phase for enforcing the law is set to begin in January 2025, with the full ban coming into effect a year later.

This legislation places Australia at the forefront of global efforts to impose age restrictions on social media use amid growing concerns about the platforms’ effects on young people’s mental health.