00:00Today, on Tuesday, December 9, Australia's landmark social media ban sparks global wave
00:05of regulation. Major platforms ordered to block over 1 million teen accounts as New Age law takes
00:11effect. Australia is set to make global history as it becomes the first country to officially
00:16enforce a minimum age requirement for social media usage. Starting Wednesday at midnight,
00:211300 hours o'clock GMT, major platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and others
00:28must block all users under 16 or face fines of up to $1.49.5 million . The law has sharply
00:37divided opinion worldwide. While major tech companies and free speech advocates have condemned
00:42the move as excessive and intrusive, parents groups and child safety advocates have welcomed it as a
00:47long-overdue measure to protect young users. A global first and a global test case
00:51The rollout caps a year of intense debates over whether a government can effectively restrict
00:56children from using platforms that have become central to modern digital life.
01:01Australia's bold move is now seen as a live experiment one that other nations are watching
01:05closely. Governments from Denmark to Malaysia, and even some US states, have signalled they may
01:10follow Australia's lead. Their concerns intensified after leaked metadocuments revealed the company knew
01:16its apps contributed to body image issues and suicidal thoughts among teens, despite their public
01:21denials. While Australia is the first to adopt such restrictions, it is unlikely to be the last.
01:27Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies, Curtin University
01:31Officials in the UK which recently enforced age restrictions on pornographic websites say they
01:36are closely monitoring Australia's approach. Meta begins blocking teens as enforcement begins.
01:43Australia's eSafety Commissioner, the regulator overseeing the ban, has recruited Stanford University and a team of
01:4911 academics to study the impact of these changes on thousands of young Australians over the next two years.
01:55Initially, 10 major platforms are required to comply, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat,
02:02Discord, and others. The list will evolve as new platforms emerge.
02:08Most companies are using age inference tools, such as analyzing user behavior or requiring selfie-based age
02:13estimation. Others may demand ID uploads or verification through linked accounts and payment
02:19methods. Only Elon Musk's ex refuses to comply, calling the policy a backdoor way to control
02:24access to the Internet. An Australian high court challenge is already underway, backed by libertarian
02:30activists. Beginning of a new digital era
02:33For social platforms, the ban represents a historic shift. Studies already show flatlining user growth and
02:40declining time spent online. While companies say under 16 users generate limited advertising revenue,
02:46the ban disrupts the pipeline of future long-term users. According to government data, 86% of
02:53Australians aged 8 to 15 were active social media users before the ban. Digital governance experts say
02:59the age of unrestricted online expression is ending. The days of social media being seen as a platform
03:04for unbridled self-expression are coming to an end. Terry Flew, co-director, Centre for AI, Trust and
03:11Governance, University of Sydney. Platforms previously relied on setting a minimum age of 13 and offering
03:17optional teen privacy controls, but critics say those measures were too weak and slow to be effective.
03:23Will the world follow Australia? With global lawmakers frustrated by big tech's inability or
03:28unwillingness to curb online harms, Australia's ban may become the blueprint for the next wave of
03:33digital regulation. If the model succeeds, experts predict a worldwide shift in how platforms are
03:39designed, accessed, and governed.
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