The Australian government’s plan to ban children from social media platforms including X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram until their 16th birthdays is politically popular. The opposition party says it would have done the same after winning elections due within months if the government hadn’t moved first.

Global tech giants including Meta, TikTok and Google have heavily criticized Australian legislation to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, setting the stage for a policy fight as the government tries to push the bill through parliament this week.

Australia's proposal to ban under-16s from social media platforms is "rushed", social media companies claimed Tuesday, expressing "serious concerns" about potential unintended consequences.