A ban on social media for users under 16 has come into effect in Australia, the Guardian reports.
From December 10, the ten largest platforms must delete the accounts of Australian teenagers and ban them from registering new accounts. These are Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and TikTok.
All of the listed platforms, except X, have already confirmed that they will comply with the ban.
Social networks that fail to do so could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million).
Some users under 16 have already been verified using facial recognition and other services. The government acknowledges that the ban may not work perfectly at first.
The new law has drawn criticism from big tech companies and freedom of speech advocates. But polls show that most Australians support the restrictions, including parents and child rights advocates.
Some parents are teaching their children to use VPNs and other methods to bypass age restrictions.