Australia wants to ban social media for under-16s, but it won’t work

A plan to ban all Australian children under 16 from social media is unworkable, unenforceable and ultimately won’t help the people it aims to protect, experts have told New Scientist.

While social media platforms are banned outright in some authoritarian regimes, no democratic country has gone as far as the proposal from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in completely restricting them for under-16s.