Social Media Bans Fail to Protect Children 

Australia acted first: it ordered social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit, and Twitch, to stop under-16s from holding accounts. Platforms that resisted risked prohibitive penalties. 

Other democracies are now following Australia’s lead. Denmark has proposed a ban for under-15s. In Britain, Keir Starmer has said he is open to an Australian-style approach. In Brussels, the European Parliament has backed a “digital minimum age” of 16 for social media, video platforms, and AI companions.