THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Social media bans go global: big tech faces a reckoning after Australia’s crackdown <p>As a host of countries move to rein in social media use by children, could this be technology’s big tobacco moment?</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/jun/27/social-media-bans-go-global-big-tech-reckoning-australia-crackdown">Continue reading...</a>

Erica Stanford reckons there is now a "tsunami of countries" who have banned social media for under-15s. In fact there are five: Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia and now the UK. Others are still in consultation or merely drafting legislation. Hardly a tsunami, by any measure. #nzpol

How Australia's social media ban is impacting teens | Season 2026 - PBS Clip: 3/25/2026 | 8m 9sVideo hasClosed Captions|CC How Australia's pioneering social media ban is impacting teens Blowback to social media and its effects on young people are reverberating across the globe. Many countries have announced plans to enact measures restricting social media access for children and teens. Australia was the first to implement a ban last year, setting an example that other nations are now closely monitoring. Stephanie Sy reports on what that pioneering ban looks like for teens today. 03/25/2026 Problems playing video?Report a Problem|Closed Captioning Feedback Before you submit an error, please consult ourVideo Help page. Problems playing video?Report a Problem|Closed Captioning Feedback Before you submit an error, please consult ourVideo Help page. Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...More Clip: 3/25/2026 | 8m 9sVideo hasClosed Captions|CC Blowback to social media and its effects on young people are reverberating across the glo…

Australia Says It Will Toughen Its Social Media Ban for Children Most young Australian teenagers are still using major social media platforms despite the ban that took effect in December, researchers have found.

More countries weigh teen social media ban, experts warn it's 'lazy' - CNBC Governments around the world are making efforts to crack down on teen social media use amid mounting evidence of potential harms, but critics argue blanket bans are an ineffective quick fix. Australia became the first countryto enforce a sweeping social media ban for under-16s in December, requiring platforms likeMeta'sInstagram, ByteDance's TikTok,Alphabet'sYouTube, Elon Musk's X, and Reddit to implement age verification measures or face penalties. Several European countries are now looking to follow Australia's lead, with theU.K.,Spain,France, andAustriadrafting their own proposals. Although a national ban in the U.S. looks unlikely,state-level legislationis underway. It comes after Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Threads, faced two separate defeats intrials related to child safetyand social media harms in March. A Santa Fe jury found Meta misled users about child safety on its apps. The next day, a Los Angeles jury ruled that Meta and YouTube designed platform features that contributed to a plaintiff's mental health harms. These developments are set to "unleash a lot more legisl…

Now 86° Tue 86° Wed 87° byThe National News Desk WASHINGTON (TNND) —As more countries move to restrict teens’ access tosocial media, a child and adolescent psychiatrist says bans are likely to face backlash from young users — and may fall short without stronger support from parents and schools. The National News Desk spoke with Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. (TNND) Only a small number of countries have national laws in effect that ban or strictly prohibit social media access for those under 16, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Other countries are potentially introducing similar laws, but the measures have been unpopular and have faced enforcement challenges. In one example of how young people are reacting, a group of students ages 11 to 14 were asked to raise their hands if they welcomed a ban, with few appearing to support it. Some students expressed frustration about having more time to fill, with one asking, “What will you do? Stare at a wall.” Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, told The National News Desk that kind of response is expected. “It doesn’t surprise me at all, because w…

What is Australia's under-16 social media ban? The world-first law ... false /content/dam/corporate/images/news-and-opinion/news/2025/december/adobestock_1608974229.jpeg Generic image of social networking app Lemon8 displayed on an Apple iPhone smartphone device in Sydney 50% University of Sydney experts break down what the age restrictions mean for children and parents. 5 December 2025 m-hero--style-left-aligned 440.270.2x.jpeg 880w, 800.490.2x.jpeg 1600w, 1280.1280.jpeg 1280w, 1440.883.2x.jpeg 2880w, 220.135.2x.jpeg 440w false Australia's social media ban came into effect on 10 December 2025, restricting all users under 16 from holding accounts on major platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, Kick, Twitch, Threads and X. As the first country to adopt such comprehensive age restrictions for social media, the result of Australia's social media ban is being closely watched by governments worldwide. University of Sydney experts have weighed in on the implications of this historic policy shift affecting Australian children and teenagers. The social media age ban represents a significant challenge to Big Tech's dominance and could spark s…

Netizens React As Andhra Pradesh Signs Social Media Ban For Users ... The Andhra Pradesh government is considering a major move that could be made in the online world. The state is exploring a potential ban on social media platforms for children under the age of 16, a proposal that has sparked intense debate across the internet. State Minister Nara Lokesh, speaking to Bloomberg during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, revealed that the government is working on a legal framework to regulate social media access for minors. He said Andhra Pradesh is closely studying Australia’s under-16 social media law as a possible model. Let us know! 👂 What type of content would you like to see from us this year? — HubSpot (@HubSpot) Lokesh emphasised that he strongly believes children below a certain age should not be exposed to social media, as they often lack the maturity to fully understand the content they consume online. According to him, unchecked exposure can have long-term psychological and behavioural impacts on young users. If the proposed legislation comes into force, Andhra Pradesh would become the first Indian state to impose such a restriction on social media usage bas…

Now 86° Tue 86° Wed 87° byThe National News Desk WASHINGTON (TNND) —As more countries move to restrict teens’ access tosocial media, a child and adolescent psychiatrist says bans are likely to face backlash from young users — and may fall short without stronger support from parents and schools. The National News Desk spoke with Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. (TNND) Only a small number of countries have national laws in effect that ban or strictly prohibit social media access for those under 16, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Other countries are potentially introducing similar laws, but the measures have been unpopular and have faced enforcement challenges. In one example of how young people are reacting, a group of students ages 11 to 14 were asked to raise their hands if they welcomed a ban, with few appearing to support it. Some students expressed frustration about having more time to fill, with one asking, “What will you do? Stare at a wall.” Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, told The National News Desk that kind of response is expected. “It doesn’t surprise me at all, because w…

Now 86° Tue 86° Wed 87° byThe National News Desk WASHINGTON (TNND) —As more countries move to restrict teens’ access tosocial media, a child and adolescent psychiatrist says bans are likely to face backlash from young users — and may fall short without stronger support from parents and schools. The National News Desk spoke with Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. (TNND) Only a small number of countries have national laws in effect that ban or strictly prohibit social media access for those under 16, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Other countries are potentially introducing similar laws, but the measures have been unpopular and have faced enforcement challenges. In one example of how young people are reacting, a group of students ages 11 to 14 were asked to raise their hands if they welcomed a ban, with few appearing to support it. Some students expressed frustration about having more time to fill, with one asking, “What will you do? Stare at a wall.” Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, told The National News Desk that kind of response is expected. “It doesn’t surprise me at all, because w…

Tracking Efforts To Restrict Or Ban Teens from Social Media Across the ... Georgetown Tech and Public Policy Scholars, CJ Larkin and Max Morgan, contributed research support on this project. Last updated June 15, 2026. February 13, 2026—Hamburg: Two pupils stand in a classroom at Goethe-Gymnasium and look at their smartphones. There is currently a debate in Germany about age limits for social media and possible stricter rules on cell phone use in schools. Photo by: Marcus Brandt/AP Images From Australia’s nationwide under-16 ban to fast-moving proposals in Europe, Asia, and the United States, governments across continents are rethinking whether children and teenagers should have open access to social media. Some restrictions are already in effect. Others are moving through legislatures, undergoing public consultation, or facing legal challenges in court. The surge in proposals is driven by mounting concern over adolescent mental health and the role platforms may play, especially in light of the recent Grok scandal, which produced sexualdeepfakes of minors. Policymakers increasinglycite researchlinking heavy and prolonged platform use to rising rates of anxiety, depression, self…

How countries are banning under-16s from social media — and how ... AI, selfies, IDs and parental controls are reshaping children's access to social media Dubai: The race to keep children off social media has shifted from political promises to technical enforcement. After Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16, governments across Europe, Asia and now the Middle East are enacting similar measures. TheUAE on Thursday became the latest country to introduce mandatory age checks, making it the first Arab nation to set a legal minimum age for social media use. The real challenge now is not whether children should be restricted from social media, but how governments and technology companies can enforce the rules effectively. The UAE announced that children under 15 will no longer be allowed to create or operate personal social media accounts, while teenagers aged 15 and 16 can access platforms only under stricter safeguards such as parental supervision, content filtering and limits on interactions with strangers. Platforms have one year to comply. The move follows a growing international trend led by Australia,whose lan…

Ban Social Media for Teens? - Psychology Today Amber W. Childs Ph.D. The Game Changers Social Media Ban Social Media for Teens? The need to balance policy, education, and mental health reform for teens. Posted December 22, 2025 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer Ph.D. Share Tweet Share on Bluesky Share Email Just in time for the holidays, Australian youth under 16 unwrapped a ban on social media . A new law requires ten of the world’s most prominent social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube—to block young Australians from accessing existing accounts or creating new ones, regardless of parental permission. At this point, you don’t need a child and adolescent psychologist (hi) to tell you about the links between social media and poorer psychological well-being for youth. Youth social media use and misuse are a worldwide public health concern, and it’s clear that we need big swings to deter the harmful effects of digital engagement. Could deterrents like Australia’s ban be such a swing? Absolutely. But let’s not get lulled into thinking banning social media will do the heavy lifting needed to set the mental health of digital…

Australia's groundbreaking ban on social media access for children under 16 has created international division over whether other nations should implement similar restrictions. #Australia #SocialMediaRegulation #ChildSafety https://prismmedia.pro/resources/31b19656-5e5b-4039-9502-8906309599f3

UK, UAE latest to announce social media bans for children. Inside the Australia experience From facial-age checks to VPN workarounds, here's how social media bans for children actually work, and how well they are working so far

Australia Social Media Ban Family Survey As Australia’s first-in-kind social media ban draws global attention, research on its effects is critical to informing future policy decisions worldwide. In late 2025, Australia became the first nation to ban social media access for children under 16—a policy with significant implications for child development, family dynamics, and digital governance worldwide. Yet as implementation approached, critical questions remained unanswered: How would parents enforce these restrictions? What challenges would families face? How would children’s well-being and behavior change? Without baseline data captured before the enactment of the ban, researchers and policymakers would have no way to measure the ban’s actual effects or distinguish policy impacts from normal developmental changes.The Kids Research Institute sought a nationally representative study to capture families’ experiences both before and after implementation—generating evidence to guide parenting support, inform future policy refinements, and contribute to global understanding of children’s digital well-being. NORC designed and fielded a rapid probability survey to capture family experi…

Now 86° Tue 86° Wed 87° byThe National News Desk WASHINGTON (TNND) —As more countries move to restrict teens’ access tosocial media, a child and adolescent psychiatrist says bans are likely to face backlash from young users — and may fall short without stronger support from parents and schools. The National News Desk spoke with Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. (TNND) Only a small number of countries have national laws in effect that ban or strictly prohibit social media access for those under 16, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Other countries are potentially introducing similar laws, but the measures have been unpopular and have faced enforcement challenges. In one example of how young people are reacting, a group of students ages 11 to 14 were asked to raise their hands if they welcomed a ban, with few appearing to support it. Some students expressed frustration about having more time to fill, with one asking, “What will you do? Stare at a wall.” Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, told The National News Desk that kind of response is expected. “It doesn’t surprise me at all, because w…

Factbox-From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's ... GDANSK, June 8 (Reuters) – Australia in December became the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook. Below is a summary of what countries and companies are doing to regulate access to social media amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children’s health and safety. AUSTRALIA A landmark law forced major social media platforms to block minors under 16 from December 10, 2025, one of the world’s toughest regulations targeting major tech ​platforms. Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($34.9 million). BRITAIN Big tech firms operating in Britain must stop children circulating nude images on their phones or they ‌will face legislation forcing them to do so, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on June 8. Under the new plans, firms like Apple and Google would have to build or activate technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children. Adults would still be able to take, share or view nude content thro…

Factbox-From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's ... Factbox-From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social media access Jun 15, 2026 Add AL-MONITOR on Google Students Dua, 16 and Awand, 17, from Ricards Lodge High School in Wimbledon pose holding their mobile phones during an interview and discussion with Reuters about their thoughts on a social media ban for under 16s, in London, Britain, February 23, 2026, REUTERS/Katie Collins — Katie Collins GDANSK, June 15 (Reuters) - Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook. Below is a summary of what countries and companies are doing to regulate access to social media amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children's health and safety. AUSTRALIA A landmark law forced major social media platforms to block minors under 16 from December 10, 2025, one of the world's toughest regulations targeting major tech platforms. Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($34.9 million). BRITAIN Britain plans to…

Factbox-From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social media access <p>GDANSK, June 15 (Reuters) - Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.</p><p>Below is a summary of what countries and companies are doing to regulate access to social media amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children's health and safety.</p><p>AUSTRALIA</p>

Teenagers vs. Social Media Bans Australia barred children from social media in December. Since then, young people have found plenty of ways to skirt the measure.

9 July 2026, 10:02am As New Zealand plans a social media ban for teens, is Australia's one actually working? Nik Dirga Caption: New Zealand is considering a ban on social media for youth under 16. Photo credit: RNZ Explainer: Australia launched the world's first ban on teenagers using social media a little more than six months ago. As New Zealand contemplates its own ban, how has it actually worked out across the ditch? Governments around the world from Britain to Canada are now looking at ways to curtail social media use by children. Australia's ban kicked off the push at the end of last year. What does the data say so far about how successful it's been? Here's what you need to know. But first, where are our own plans for a ban? Temporarily stalled, but that could change quite soon. National has been pushing for a social media ban for under-16s but plans have been put on hold as there have been concerns that coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First won't support it. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said he is "deeply supportive" of a ban , telling NewsTalk ZB he would "die trying to do something". A draft bill and paper has been circulating and support from Labour is now b…

Now 86° Tue 86° Wed 87° byThe National News Desk WASHINGTON (TNND) —As more countries move to restrict teens’ access tosocial media, a child and adolescent psychiatrist says bans are likely to face backlash from young users — and may fall short without stronger support from parents and schools. The National News Desk spoke with Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. (TNND) Only a small number of countries have national laws in effect that ban or strictly prohibit social media access for those under 16, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Other countries are potentially introducing similar laws, but the measures have been unpopular and have faced enforcement challenges. In one example of how young people are reacting, a group of students ages 11 to 14 were asked to raise their hands if they welcomed a ban, with few appearing to support it. Some students expressed frustration about having more time to fill, with one asking, “What will you do? Stare at a wall.” Dr. Mark McDonald, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, told The National News Desk that kind of response is expected. “It doesn’t surprise me at all, because w…

Factbox-From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social media access <p>GDANSK, June 18 (Reuters) - Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.</p><p>Below is a summary of what countries and companies are doing to regulate access to social media amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children's health and safety.</p><p>AUSTRALIA</p>

Banning Teens from Social Media Isn't Protection, It's Overreach European Commission President Ursula von der Leyenannouncedthat the EU will partner with Australia to restrict children’s access to social media, expanding on Australia’s world-first ban for users under 16 and joining a growing international movement to limit youth access online. While these bans aim to protect young people online, they risk cutting off millions of teenagers from vital platforms for staying informed, connected, and expressing themselves, while also threatening adults’ online anonymity. A more effective solution would focus on addressing real online harms directly, preserving social media’s benefits, and empowering parents and teens with greater control over their digital experience. Australia was the first countryto implement a nationwide social media ban for children under 16. This ban would primarily affect children aged 13 to 15, as major social media platforms already restrict children under 13 from creating accounts. The ban places the burden of “taking reasonable steps to prevent access” to users under 16 on platforms themselves and gives the country’s eSafety Commissioner the power to enforce…