Social media bans go global: big tech faces a reckoning after Australia’s crackdown
Key takeaways
- The rush to regulate comes even as the overall impact of social media bans remains unclear Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty View image in fullscreen.
- Thank you for your feedback.When Australia launched its ban on social media for children under the age of 16 in December, its global impact remained to be seen.
- Last week Britain announced its own ban, which it plans to have in place by early 2027.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
The rush to regulate comes even as the overall impact of social media bans remains unclear Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty View image in fullscreen. The rush to regulate comes even as the overall impact of social media bans remains unclear Illustration: Guardian Design/Getty The Saturday read Social media bans Social media bans go global: big tech faces a reckoning after Australia’s crackdown As a host of countries move to rein in social media use by children, could this be technology’s big tobacco moment?
Thank you for your feedback.When Australia launched its ban on social media for children under the age of 16 in December, its global impact remained to be seen. The world watched with keen interest as the country adopted the most far-reaching ban yet, amid a global mix of incredulity, admiration and – among some – a staunch belief that many children would find a way to circumvent it.
Months later, it became clear that Australia’s efforts were the start of a global reckoning; in March, Indonesia began blocking children under the age of 16 from accessing most social media and Malaysia followed suit this month. Last week Britain announced its own ban, which it plans to have in place by early 2027.