Australia passes landmark social media ban for children under 16
Social media users in Australia react to last week’s passage of a law that bans their use for those under age 16 starting next year.
NBC News
Responding to high rates of juvenile depression, anxiety, an unreliable information ecosystem online and other detrimental effects of social media on its youth, Australia last week passed a landmark ban on social media access for children under 16.
The action will not be enforced for at least a year, allowing impacted platforms X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Reddit time to develop and implement the necessary age-verification systems. Video platform YouTube, messaging services, and online gaming sites that do not require user accounts are not included in the legislation, which is supported by 77 percent of Australians.
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