Australia's World-First Social Media Ban for Under-16s Takes Effect

• Australia has implemented a world-first ban on social media for individuals under 16, effective at midnight.
• Millions of Australian children and teenagers lost access to platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
• Non-compliant social media platforms face fines of up to $49.5 million.
• The ban aims to protect mental health and reduce digital dependency among youth.
• While most platforms confirmed compliance, X had not yet informed users of its policy, and age verification faced initial challenges.

Why It Matters: Australia's under-16 social media ban sets a global precedent for youth digital safety.