On Nov. 28, local time, Australian lawmakers passed a groundbreaking bill prohibiting individuals under the age of 16 from using social media platforms.
The legislation, which has now been approved by both houses of parliament, officially became law and is set to take effect in one year.
The Australian government introduced the law to safeguard the mental health of young people, giving social media companies time to develop mechanisms to enforce the ban.
Under the law, minors under 16 will be prohibited from accessing social media platforms, even with parental consent.
The affected social media platforms will include Meta Platforms, Instagram, Facebook and X. YouTube may also be affected, according to Australia's Communications Minister Michelle Rowland.
Social media companies found systematically violating the law could face fines of up to Aus$49.5 million (approximately US$32.5 million).
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