Australia Passes Social Media Ban for Children Under 16 [Video]

A new law in Australia is attempting to keep children safe on social media.

On Thursday, Nov. 28, Australian lawmakers passed a social media ban for kids under 16 — one of the most extensive initiatives aimed at protecting youth safety and health in the world, according to reports from NBC News and The New York Times. 

The “world-leading” law, called The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, “will deliver greater protections for young Australians during critical stages of their development,” according to a press release from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Though it is not entirely clear which platforms will be covered by the landmark ban, the Times reported it will impact Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit and X (formerly known as Twitter).

YouTube, meanwhile, is unaffected, along with WhatsApp and similar messaging apps, the outlet said.

Apps that “are health and education related” like Headspace and Google Classroom are also not affected …