Australia passes world-first law banning under-16s from social media despite safety concerns

A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Senate on Thursday and is set to become a world-first law.

The legislation will make platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (£26 million) if they fail to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts.