Australia bans social media use for children under-16

Australian senators have approved groundbreaking legislation that prohibits children under 16 from creating social media accounts.

The law, set to take effect in November 2025, introduces some of the strictest social media regulations globally. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and X will be required to implement robust age-verification measures.

Failure to comply could result in fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (£25m). Social media companies will have a one-year grace period to develop systems to enforce the ban before fines are imposed.