Under-16s locked out of social media apps after Australia's world-first ban

Australia banned under-16s from social media in a world-first crackdown on Wednesday, declaring it was time to "take back control" from formidable tech giants.

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Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) cooks sausages on a barbecue during an official function to mark the start of Australia's social media reform at Kirribilli House in Sydney on Wednesday. - AFP

(AFP)

A raft of popular apps and websites — Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X among them — face US$33 million fines if they fail to purge Australia-based users younger than 16.

Australia becomes one of the first nations to push back so forcefully against tech companies with immense political power, in a move other countries are looking at closely.

"Enough is enough," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

"It is one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has faced.

"We will take back control."

The government says unprecedented measures are needed to protect children from "predatory algorithms" filling phone screens with bullying, sex and violence.

The laws came into effect after midnight local time across Australia. Hundreds of thousands of adolescents woke up to find themselves locked out of apps they once scrolled through for hours each day.

Bianca Navarro, 10, was already counting the years until she could log in again to YouTube.

"It will be pretty sad because I have six years until I can watch it," she told AFP.

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Reddit are forbidden from creating or keeping accounts belonging to users in Australia under 16.