An advocate for major social media platforms has told Australia's Parliament that a plan to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed rather than being rushed to approval this week.

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday social media firms would be required to destroy personal data used to verify ages of users, as part of what the government says is a world-leading ban on under-16s using the services.

A law proposed in parliament would ban social media access for all children under the age of 16, placing stiff fines on platforms that don't comply. While I'll admit most social media does little more than turn our gray matter into Nickelodeon slime,

On November 21 2024, the Albanese government unveiled its bill to introduce a minimum age of 16 for most social media platforms. The government claims the bill is necessary to protect children from social harm.

Albanese said on Monday that social media firms would be required to destroy personal data used to verify ages of users, as part of what the Australian government says is a world-

As parliament prepares to pass laws banning under 16s from social media, concerns have been raised the process has been rushed through.

On an otherwise ordinary evening, the sidewalks outside Bandra’s Rizvi Complex bore witness to the unlikeliest of brawls. Two girls, both aged around 15, threw punches and anything else they could find on the road—including dustbins—at each other.