Today, Australia has banned social-media access to anyone under 16, drawing global attention and debate among child-safety advocates, parents and teenagers .

While the move is framed as a protective measure against online harms, experts warn that, for parents, the ban won’t remove responsibility of monitoring their children's online footprint.

How Does the Ban Work?

The government has ordered social-media platforms including: Facebook , Instagram , TikTok, Snapchat , X, YouTube, Twitch, Kick and Threads to remove any under-16 accounts. Newsweek reached out to all of the aforementioned social-media press offices for comment via email.

The eSafety commissioner has said such platforms must show they have taken "reasonable steps" to prevent minors from opening accounts, or

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