Australia Proposes Social Media Ban for Under-16s

Australia plans to introduce a "world-leading" ban on social media use for children under 16, requiring platforms to verify users' ages and imposing fines for non-compliance. The legislation, announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, aims to protect children from online harm, though it has faced criticism for being too restrictive. Social media companies like Meta suggest age verification should occur at the app store level. The proposal follows similar discussions in the U.S. and concerns about children's mental health related to social media use.