In brief
In a world-first initiative, Australia's new law prohibits children under the age of 16 from creating social media accounts on platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. The government aims to protect young users from harmful online content and cyberbullying. While many parents support the ban, critics argue it may lead to unintended consequences by driving teens to less safe platforms. The success of this pioneering legislation will be closely watched as other countries consider similar measures.
Australia's world-first social media ban for children has taken effect, with throngs of teenagers waking up to find their accounts have gone dark.
Others tell BBC they have already snuck past barriers and will continue scrolling and posting freely until they are caught.
The new law means social media firms - including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube - must take 'reasonable steps' to ensure Australians aged under 16 don't hold accounts on their platforms.
The ban, eyed with excitement by global leaders and trepidation by tech companies, was justified as necessary to protect children from harmful content and algorithms - though critics have argued blanket prohibition is neither practical nor wise.
This landmark policy has been one of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's pet projects, who stated that it has the power to change lives globally.
Various governments, from the US state of Florida to the European Union, have been experimenting with limiting children's use of social media. But, Australia is the first jurisdiction to deny an exemption for parental approval...
The Australian government has identified 10 social media platforms initially, including all the most popular, and warned other platforms they could be next.
Online safety regulator, Julie Inman Grant, indicated monitoring compliance from Thursday, with social media companies facing fines of up to A$49.5 million for serious breaches.
While polling shows the ban is popular among parents, it faces pushback from children who argue it limits their connections, especially for marginalized groups. Critics say better education and moderation should replace outright bans.
In addition, tech firms have expressed concerns that the ban is an overreach. Nevertheless, the government insists the companies have the means to implement the ban effectively.
As the world watches this unprecedented move, the outcomes could influence future regulations on children's online activity globally.
