Explainer: Can Australia effectively enforce its social media ban for under-16s?

SYDNEY, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A world-first Australian law, which bars children under 16 from having social media accounts and takes effect on Wednesday, has triggered debate over whether the restrictions can be effectively implemented. The Australian federal parliament passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 in November last year, requiring certain social media platforms to take "reasonable steps" to prevent children under 16 from having accounts. Platforms that fa