AUSTRALIA’S House of Representatives passed a Bill yesterday to ban under-16s from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalise the first law of its kind in the world. 

Both major parties backed the Bill, which would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to AUS50 million (£26m) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.

The legislation, which passed 102 to 13, is likely to become law later this week. Platforms will then have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before penalties are enforced.

Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver's licences, nor could they demand digital identification through a government system.

Melbourne resident Wayne Holdsworth, whose 17-year-old son Mac took his own life last year after falling victim to an online “sextortion” scam, described the Bill as “absolutely essential for the safety of our children.”

“It’s not the only thing that we need to do to protect them because education is the key, but to provide some immediate support for our children and parents to be able to manage this, it’s a great step.”