Australia is days away from implementing one of the world’s most far-reaching attempts to keep young teenagers off social media. From 10 December, children under 16 will no longer be allowed to hold accounts on major platforms, making Australia the first country to introduce a blanket prohibition on teen social media access at this scale.

The move has been years in the making, shaped by parliamentary inquiries, testimony from families affected by online abuse and a rising political demand for stronger protections for children online. As governments worldwide watch closely, the immediate question is how the ban will actually operate and what changes platforms, users, and regulators will face once it takes effect.

The Australian government says the ban aims to reduce the “pressures and

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