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Technology

Australia bans social media for under-16s

Social media

Millions of children and teenagers under the age of 16 in Australia have lost access to their social media accounts after a world-first ban came into effect on Tuesday. 

Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, Snapchat, Kick, Twitch, TikTok, Reddit and YouTube are among the platforms required to comply with the new legislation.

Parents and children will not be punished for violating the ban - but companies face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars for violations.

The government says the ban aims to protect young people from harmful content, online harassment, cyberbullying and "predatory algorithms".

This is a bold move that many other countries are carefully following - but how the government will judge success is unclear, the BBC reports.

Critics have suggested that this move could isolate vulnerable teenagers and push children into unregulated spaces of the internet.