Australia passes landmark social media ban for children under 16

Australia passed a law on Nov 28 to ban social media for children aged under 16 after an emotive debate that gripped the nation, setting a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech.

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SYDNEY -

The law forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta to TikTok to stop minors logging in, or face fines of up to A$49.5 million (S$43 million). A trial of methods to enforce it will start in January 2025, with the ban to take effect in a year.

The Social Media Minimum Age Bill sets Australia up as a test case for a growing number of governments which have legislated or said they plan to legislate an age restriction on social media amid concern about its mental health impact on young people.