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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Business
Helen Sullivan in Sydney

Australia passes world-first law banning under-16s from social media despite safety concerns

A three-quarter length shot of a female teenager leaning up against red lockers in her school. She is on her phone
Australia has passed a law banning under-16s from social media, but academics, politicians and advocacy groups have warned a ban could drive teenagers to the dark web, or making them feel more isolated. Photograph: SolStock/Getty Images

Australia’s parliament has passed a law that will aim to do what no other government has, and many parents have tried to: stop children from using social media. The new law was drafted in response to what the Labor prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says is a “clear, causal link between the rise of social media and the harm [to] the mental health of young Australians.”

On Thursday, parliament’s upper house, the Senate, passed a bill by 34 votes to 19 banning children under 16 from social media platforms.

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