Kids locked out of social media apps after Australia's world-first ban21 hours ago Share Save Tiffanie Turnbull Sydney Share SaveWatch: Australian teens test out social media as ban takes effectAustralia's world-first social media ban for children has taken effect, with throngs of teenagers waking up to find their accounts have gone dark. The new law means social media firms - including Meta, TikTok and YouTube - must take "reasonable steps" to ensure Australians aged under 16 don't hold accounts on their platforms. Various governments, from the US state of Florida to the European Union, have been experimenting with limiting children's use of social media. There is broad agreement in Australia that social media companies are failing to shield users, particularly children, from harm on their platforms. "Our brains are going through one of the biggest rewiring periods of our lives... Social media is designed to take advantage of that," the 12-year-old said.