Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s Set to Become Law

The Australian Parliament passed a law on Thursday banning the use of social media by children under the age of 16. This law is set to come into effect in November 2025.

It is considered as the world’s strictest law regulating social media to date, and will require tech companies to implement age-verification systems on their platforms.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made it clear that even with parental consent, children under 16 will not be allowed to use social media. He has argued that social media poses a risk to the physical and mental health of children. Companies that violate this law could face fines of up to $49.5 million.