What happens when a country finally says, “Enough” to kids scrolling endlessly on social media? That moment has arrived in Australia.

From Wednesday, Australia will become the first country in the world to enforce a legal minimum age for social media use, forcing major platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube

to block more than a million accounts belonging to users under 16. And this is not symbolic, platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to A$49.5 million.

This is the start of something much bigger than one country. Lawmakers across the world have been watching this moment closely, asking a question many parents have been asking for years, can governments really protect children from technology that is now woven into daily life?

Australia’s move is being seen as a live global experiment. Countries from Denmark to Malaysia, and even parts of the United States, are already preparing similar steps. The turning point came after leaked internal documents from Meta revealed that platforms were aware their products were contributing to body image issues and mental health struggles among teenagers, while publicly denying those links.

“While Australia is the first to adopt such restrictions, it is unlikely to be the last,” said Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtin University, calling Australia’s move “the canary in the coal mine” for Big Tech.

Even the UK is watching closely. A spokesperson for the British government confirmed they are monitoring Australia’s approach as they begin tightening age restrictions on online content, adding that when it comes to children’s safety, nothing is off the table.

Inside Australia, this is about to be studied like never before. The country’s eSafety Commissioner has partnered with Stanford University and 11 academics to track the impact of the ban on thousands of young Australians over the next two years.

Platforms are scrambling to adjust. Most, except X, say they will use age estimation and age inference systems, often analysing selfies, online behaviour patterns, or even linked identification or financial documents to determine a user’s age. Elon Musk has criticised the move, calling it a backdoor attempt to control internet access, while several companies argue it threatens free speech. A legal challenge is also pending in the Australian High Court.

For social media companies, this signals a shift in the business itself. Growth is slowing, user time is shrinking, and the steady pipeline of future users is now being disrupted. Just before the ban kicked in, 86% of Australians aged 8 to 15 were already active on social media.

“The days of social media being seen as a platform for unbridled self-expression are coming to an end,” said Terry Flew, co director of the University of Sydney’s Centre for AI, Trust and Governance.

In short, Australia just lit the fuse. The world is watching to see what happens next.

Source, Reuters

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