Millions of children and teenagers under the age of 16 in Australia have lost access to social media after a historic ban, the first of its kind in the world, came into effect. The new law forces platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch and others to enforce the restriction.
Parents and children will not be punished for violating the ban, but tech companies face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars for each violation.
The Australian government says the measure aims to protect young people from harmful online content, while critics warn that the ban could isolate the most vulnerable children and push them towards unregulated internet spaces.
This decision is being closely followed by other countries, while it is not yet clear how its success will be measured.
