SYDNEY, Australia: On December 10, Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for children under 16 by blocking access to platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Ten of the biggest platforms were ordered to block children from midnight (1300 GMT on December 9) or face fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million) under the new law, which major technology companies and free speech advocates criticized. However, many parents and child advocates welcomed it.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it "a proud day" for families and cast the law as proof that policymakers can curb online harms that have outpaced traditional safeguards.

"This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies," Albanese told ABC News.

"New technology can do wonderful things, but we need to make sure that humans are in control of our own destiny, and that is what this is," he said.

"No more social media... no more contact with the rest of the world," wrote one teen on TikTok.
"#seeyouwhenim16," said another.

The rollout ends a year of arguments about whether any country can realistically stop children from using platforms that are part of everyday life. It also marks an essential test for governments around the world that are unhappy that social media companies have been slow to reduce harm.

Albanese's centre-left government introduced the new law after research showed that using social media too much can harm young teenagers' mental health, including through misinformation, bullying, and harmful body image content.

Several countries, from Denmark to New Zealand to Malaysia, have signalled they may study or emulate Australia's model, making the country a test case for how far governments can push age-gating without stifling speech or innovation.

Elon Musk's X became the last of the 10 major platforms to take measures to cut off access to underage teens after publicly acknowledging on December 10 that it would comply.