Australian social media ban on under-16s approved by parliament

The ban aims to reduce "harms" on children and will take at least a year to implement, the PM says.

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The ban, which will not take effect for at least 12 months, could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don't comply.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the legislation is needed to protect young people from the "harms" of social media, something many parent groups have echoed.

But critics say questions over how the ban will work - and its impact on privacy and social connection - have been left unanswered.

This is not the first attempt globally to restrict children's social media use, but the minimum age of 16 is the highest set by any country. Unlike other attempts, it also does not include exemptions for existing users or those with parental consent.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89vjj0lxx9o

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