The story so far: On December 10, Australia became the first country in the world to implement a social media ban on users under the age of 16. The ban blocks children from accessing nearly 10 big social platforms, including X and Facebook. Platforms that don’t comply with the new rules will face a fine of up to $33 million (A$49.5 million). Australia’s ban caps a year-long debate over whether governments can effectively stop teenagers from using social media platforms. Now, about half a dozen countries have signalled that they will study Australia’s new policy and see if they can emulate it.

What is the new law?

In November, 2024, the Australian government introduced the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, which mandated a minimum age of 16 for accounts on c

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