Australia's Bold Move: Social Media Ban for Under 16s Nears Approval

Australia is advancing towards banning social media access for children under 16, as a bill passes the lower house. The legislation, among the toughest worldwide, mandates age-verification measures, drawing concerns from tech giants over privacy, civil rights, and calls for more consultation.

Australia made significant progress in its efforts to ban social media for children under 16, as the parliament's lower house passed a bill, positioning the country to enforce some of the strictest online regulations globally.

The proposed legislation mandates all social media platforms to implement rigorous age-verification processes, potentially using biometrics or government IDs, to prevent minors from creating accounts. Companies failing to comply could face fines up to A$49.5 million.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pushing for swift passage of the bill, citing health and safety concerns regarding children's online usage, despite opposition from tech giants, civil rights advocates, and certain political factions.

(With inputs from agencies.)