Australian youth will lose access to their social media accounts amid a national law that takes effect on Wednesday and is the world’s first such ban.
Dec. 9 Australian youth under age 16 are losing access to their social media accounts amid a national law that takes effect on Wednesday and is the world’s first such ban.
The nation’s lawmakers in 2024 enacted the social media ban that blocks access to 10 internationally popular social media sites — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, Kick, Snapchat and Threads.
Others could be added if they add significantly more users or otherwise are deemed social media instead of gaming or peer-to-peer communication sites, such as Bluesky, Steam, YouTube Kids, WhatsApp and Steam.
The law punishes the respective social media companies with up to $32 million in fines instead of children who might access the sites or their parents, according to the BBC.
The social media companies are required to ensure users are of legal age before accessing the respective sites by subjecting them to facial age assurance tests.
