Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has urged Canberra to reconsider the ban. Australia's ban on social media for children under 16 has garnered significant international attention, with governments worldwide considering similar policies, with the UK likely to be next. The ban took effect in Australia on December 10 and covered major social platforms, including Reddit, X, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. These platforms were required to implement age-verification mechanisms to ensure that those under 16 cannot create accounts, and companies could face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (32 million US dollars) for non-compliance. Despite mixed reactions from teenagers, tech giants, and experts since the ban's implementation, governments around the world are drafting bills to enact similar measures, according to CNBC. Other countries considering a ban on social media for those under 16 include the UK, France, Denmark, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Greece. The U.S. is lagging in this trend, as a national ban is considered unlikely, though there is clear interest at the state and local levels, according to Ravi Iyer, executive director of the Neely Center at the University of Southern California. In emailed comments, Iyer said, 'It's very hard to predict federal policy, but it's one of the few issues with bipartisan support, so it's definitely possible.' He added, 'I'm more confident at the state level, and I think we'll see some states enact such policies in the coming years.' Lawmakers in California and Texas are exploring a potential state-level ban by 2026. However, governments seeking to impose such bans may face resistance from tech giants. Following Australia's move, Reddit filed a lawsuit, arguing the new law overly restricts online political discourse. In a user statement explaining the restrictions' mechanism, Elon Musk's X platform stated, 'This is not our choice, this is what the Australian law requires.'
