A global line shifts under teenage screens.

In late 2024, Australia made a move that many governments had debated but avoided. Lawmakers approved a nationwide restriction that bars children under sixteen from holding social media accounts. The decision followed years of rising concern about mental health, online harm, and platform accountability. It immediately triggered global attention, especially in the United States, where similar worries exist but legal barriers remain. Australia’s action did not emerge in isolation. It reflects mounting pressure on democracies to rethink how childhood and technology now collide.



