Australia Defends World-Leading Social Media Ban for Under-16s. Australia’s communications minister Anika Wells says she “won’t be intimidated” by tech giants opposing the country’s sweeping ban stopping under-16s from joining social media platforms. From 10 December, firms including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube must take “reasonable steps” to block accounts for children under 16. Wells says the policy stands with parents, not platforms, arguing tech companies have had “15 to 20 years” to fix harms shown in research. Meta and others agree youth safety needs improvement but say bans won’t work—echoed by experts who favour stronger parental controls and digital education. Wells claims global interest in Australia’s approach, saying leaders worldwide have contacted Canberra for guidance. She remains unfazed by potential U.S. pushback after President Trump warned he would defend American tech firms. Critics question whether the law can be enforced and note it excludes online gaming, especially Roblox, which Wells says is already under scrutiny. Wells stresses the policy will be reviewed over two years: “This isn’t a cure, it’s a treatment plan” that will evolve to address emerging harms.