Australia has become the first country in the world to pass legislation banning children under the age of 16 from using social media, as reported by Cape Town Etc. The new law mandates that tech giants such as Meta and TikTok must prevent minors from accessing their platforms, or they could face fines of up to 49.5 million.
The enforcement of this ban will begin with a trial period in January, with the full ban taking effect one year later. The Social Media Minimum Age Bill places Australia at the forefront of global discussions on age restrictions for social media platforms, which are increasingly being linked to mental health concerns.
While some countries, like France and certain U.S. states, have age restrictions that require parental consent, Australias new law stands out with its absolute ban on social media access for those under 16. This is in contrast to Florida's under-14 ban, which is currently under challenge due to concerns about free speech, as noted by Reuters.
