Social Media Companies Slam Australia's Under-16 Ban

Students look at their phones in Australia, where the government has passed a law banning social media for those under 16 (Credit: AFP)

Social media giants on Friday hit out at a landmark Australian law banning them from signing up under-16s, describing it as a rush job littered with "many unanswered questions".

The UN children's charity UNICEF Australia joined the fray, warning that it was no "silver bullet" and could push kids into "covert and unregulated" spaces online.