Australia Bans Social Media For Under-16s In Strict Online Safety Law

• Australia officially banned social media accounts for individuals under 16 as part of a new online safety initiative.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated the ban aims to protect young people and "take control back" from tech companies.
• Affected platforms include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, Twitch, and YouTube, which must remove under-16 accounts or face heavy fines.
• Tech companies, including Meta and X, complied with the new law despite expressing concerns about potential "counterproductive results."

Why It Matters: Australia's strict social media ban for under-16s is a major global online safety move.