Australian Ban on under 16’s Social Media now Legalised

Australia is now the first country in the world to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from a host of platforms

Millions of children and teenagers under the age of 16 lose access to their social media accounts in Australia after a world-first ban came into effect Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, Snapchat, Kick, Twitch, TikTok, Reddit and YouTube are among the platforms required to enforce the new legislation

Parents and children won’t be punished for breaking the ban – but companies face fines of up to A$49.5m (US$32m, £25m) for breaches
The government says the ban is aimed at protecting young people from harmful content, but critics suggest it could isolate vulnerable teenagers and push children into unregulated corners of the internet