Australia’s controversial new law barring under-16s from social media is one of the toughest crackdowns yet on platforms including Facebook and TikTok as governments worldwide grasp for ways to protect children from harmful content.

Australia has enacted a law banning social media for under-16s, with strict penalties for platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat, sparking debate over youth mental health versus privacy and access rights,

Technology giants respond to the government's new social media laws banning those under 16, meeting the "rushed process" with "concern" and disappointment.