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.