Sydney, Dec 10 (V7N) – At midnight, Australia became the first country in the world to prohibit children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. The law, effective from Wednesday, Dec. 10, requires ten of the largest platforms to block underage users or face fines of up to $33 million.

The move has drawn criticism from major technology companies and free speech advocates, while parents and child safety experts have welcomed the measure.

The ban is closely observed by governments worldwide considering similar regulations amid growing concerns over social media’s impact on children’s mental health and safety. Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtin University, noted, “While Australia is the first to adopt such restrictions, it is unlikely to be the last. Governments around the world are watching how the power of Big Tech was successfully challenged.”

The legislation closes a year of debate over whether countries can restrict children from technologies integrated into everyday life. It also initiates a global experiment to assess the effectiveness of direct government intervention against tech platforms that critics say have been slow to implement harm-reduction measures.

Countries including Denmark, Malaysia, and some U.S. states are planning similar steps, following leaks of Meta internal documents revealing awareness of the negative effects of its platforms on teenagers’ body image and mental health.

Initially, the ban targets ten platforms, but the government has indicated that the list will be updated as new platforms emerge and young users migrate to alternatives. All platforms except Elon Musk’s X have committed to comply, using age inference from online activity, age estimation via selfies, or verification through identification documents or linked bank accounts.

Experts note that while advertising to under-16s generates limited revenue, the ban disrupts the pipeline of future users. According to the government, 86% of Australians aged 8 to 15 were active on social media immediately before the ban took effect.

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