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Reuters

Big Tech starts complying with Australia's teen social media ban

Reuters · Just In
Reuters
Reuters
Just In

Online platforms will ping Australian teenagers through over a million accounts in coming days offering a choice: download data, freeze profiles or lose the lot when a world-first ban on kids using social media starts on December 10. TikTok, Snapchat, Meta, Instagram and Threads are poised to deactivate accounts registered by users under 16, according to insiders.

Breakdown
  • Australia will ban users under 16 from social media starting December 10.
  • Platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Meta, and Instagram will notify over a million teen users and deactivate accounts for those under 16. 8s
  • Companies will use software to estimate user ages and only require special age checks if a user complains about being blocked. 58s
  • The law requires platforms to take reasonable steps to block minors, and the rollout could serve as a global model if successful. 2m 16s
  • Other countries, including the UK, France, and Denmark, have introduced or announced similar age-based restrictions on social media and online content. 2m 28s
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