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“MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s highest court on Tuesday began hearing constitutional challenges to the nation’s world-first legislation banning children younger than 16 from popular social media platforms.”

“Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s faces its first major legal test in the High Court, almost one year after taking effect.”

“Australia's world-first ban on social media accounts for children under 16 is "ill thought out" and imposes a "profound restriction on political debate", a lawyer representing Reddit told the country's top court during the first legal challenge to the…”

“Employees at the parent group of Facebook and Instagram sought to discredit Jonathan Haidt, the social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, a book that helped tip the debate about online safety towards more stringent measures such as the…”

“The Australia-style ban on under-16s accessing social media services including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube is due to come into force next spring.”

“Three months after the social media ban came into effect, 50% of children under 16 who still held accounts said they hadn't even been asked to confirm their age, according to Australia's independent eSafety commissioner.”

“Three months after the social media ban came into effect, 50% of children under 16 who still held accounts said they hadn't even been asked to confirm their age by social media platforms, according to Australia's independent eSafety commissioner.”

“Australia, concerned over social media's impact on kids, placed restrictions for children under 16 on many major platforms.”

“In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16.”

“The prime minister had travelled to the heart of Silicon Valley to meet Tim Cook – or, as Donald Trump once called him, “Tim Apple” – and spruik Australia’s world-leading crackdown on social media for under-16s.”

“However, data last month found that Australians under 16 continued using social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok despite the ban.”

“It makes a nice change to the rhetoric and falsehoods blanketing the airwaves and social media.”

“The message captured how France’s riots have become part of a wider international narrative of rebellion — a kind of “Chaos Inc.” — amplified by a transnational network of communist and socialist organizations stretching from Europe to Asia, Australia, Africa…”

“On Monday, the Philippines House of Representatives passed a bill banning children under 13 from social media platforms, while those between 13 and 17 would have limited access, with 287 members voting in favor and only three against the measure.”

“Some would ban minors from social media entirely; some would let 16- and 17-year-olds join but ban younger teens and children; some would allow minors with parental consent or special restrictions on their accounts.”

“In the 1980s, the Australian settlement team, including my father, took in artists from Romania, refugees from Vietnam and an eccentric band of migrants from Poland.”

“In September the EU announced a plan to restrict social media access for under 15 year-olds across its member states, following last year’s Australian move to ban children under 16 from having social media accounts.”

“The federal communications minister, Anika Wells, has been named as one of Time magazine’s “world’s most influential rising stars” in recognition of her work on Australia’s under-16 social media ban and taking on big tech companies.”

“Chui has opened half a dozen venues under his Urban Agency banner, including the Hong Kong-style Kowloon Cafe and the modern Australian-adjacent Touch Wood at the Sydney Fish Market.”

“This latest move by Australia to protect its online users from harm comes less than a year after the country introduced a social media ban for children under 16 last December.”

“Australia last year became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, with several other countries following in 2026.”

“Action taken by Australia to be the first country in the world to ban people under 16 from using social media will be at the forefront of the campaign, as well as recent efforts to place guardrails on the expanding use of AI.”

“Australia's challenges in enforcing its world-first social media ban for children under 16 could see Europe facing an uphill battle as well.”

“Australia introduced a blanket social media ban for children under 16 last year, while Spain and Denmark have also been considering similar measures.”

“Social media companies could be slugged with fines of more than $100 million if they fail to do more to keep under-16s off their sites under an Albanese government bill set to go before the Senate on Tuesday.”

“Australia banned social media use for those under 16, but enforcing the law has been challenging because young people have tried to get around the restrictions.”

“They were staged at the mouth of the tunnel right under the towers, and as they sat there on the rigs, they watched the second plane come in.”

“Luxon's government has mulled such a law since Australia's world-first social media ban for under 16-year-olds took effect in December 2025.”

“Australia was the first country to introduce last December a social media ban for those under-16, although it is widely acknowledged that many in the country continue to use the platforms.”