AUSTRALIA BANS TEENS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA – 1 Million Accounts to Be Deleted from Dec 10
Australia will enforce a world-first social media ban from December 10, blocking users under 16 from accessing platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
The law could see over one million teenagers lose their accounts, with tech firms facing 49.5 million Australian dollars in fines for noncompliance.
Experts warn the new age-verification tools may wrongly lock out 16- and 17-year-olds, as photo-based systems struggle to confirm their ages.
Despite early backlash, companies now expect a smooth rollout, using software to verify users’ age through their online activity.
The move puts Australia at the forefront of efforts to protect young people from social media’s mental health and privacy risks — a model the rest of the world is watching closely.
