Australian lawmakers passed landmark rules to ban under 16s from social media on Thursday, approving one of the world's toughest crackdowns on popular sites like Facebook, Instagram and X.

The landmark Social Media Minimum Age bill sets Australia up as a test case for a growing number of governments.

The law will the world’s first and will make platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, liable for big fines.

Social media firms will soon be expected to take “reasonable steps” to prevent young teens from having accounts.

The Australian Senate has passed a social media ban for children under 16 years old that will soon become a world-first law.

Australia's senate is debating a social media ban for children under the age of 16, after the House of Representatives passed the bill. Some argue that the world-first law is essential, but others argue it could lead youngsters to the dark web.