Showing 1 - 10 of 212
Snapchat blocks 415,000 underage accounts in Australia
AFP, Published on 02/02/2026
» SYDNEY — Snapchat has blocked 415,000 accounts under Australia's social media ban for under-16s, the company said Monday, but warned some youngsters may be bypassing age verification technology.
UK, France mull social media bans for youth as debate rages
AFP, Published on 19/01/2026
» PARIS - Countries including France and Britain are considering following Australia's lead by banning children and some teenagers from using social media, but experts are still locked in a debate over the effectiveness of the move.
Social media sites block 4.7 million underage accounts in Australia
AFP, Published on 16/01/2026
» SYDNEY - Tech giants have blocked 4.7 million accounts under Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s, the country's online safety watchdog said on Friday.
83 still in hospital after Swiss fire tragedy
AFP, Published on 06/01/2026
» CRANS-MONTANA (SWITZERLAND) - The majority of those wounded in the devastating New Year bar blaze in Crans-Montana were still in hospital on Monday, as the bodies of five Italian teenagers were repatriated from Switzerland.
Australia bans under-16s from social media in world-first crackdown
AFP, Published on 10/12/2025
» SYDNEY - Australia banned under-16s from social media in a world-first crackdown on Wednesday, declaring it was time to "take back control" from formidable tech giants.
'Not black or white': Teens worldwide react to Australia social media ban
AFP, Published on 08/12/2025
» HONG KONG - Australia's landmark move to ban under-16s from social media will be closely watched by other countries, which could follow suit with similar laws.
Meta starts removing under-16s from social media in Australia
AFP, Published on 04/12/2025
» SYDNEY - Tech giant Meta said on Thursday it is starting to remove under-16s in Australia from Instagram, Threads and Facebook ahead of the country's world-first youth social media ban.
Australia ban offers test on social media harm
AFP, Published on 01/12/2025
» TOKYO - Australia's under-16 social media ban will make the nation a real-life laboratory on how best to tackle the technology's impact on young people, experts say.
Snapchat begins age checks in Australia ahead of social media ban
AFP, Published on 24/11/2025
» SYDNEY - Snapchat has begun asking teenage Australians to verify their ages, a company spokesperson said Monday, just weeks before Canberra enforces sweeping laws banning under-16s from social media.
Meta to remove under-16 Australians from Facebook, Instagram on December 4
AFP, Published on 20/11/2025
» SYDNEY - Australians younger than 16 will be removed from Facebook and Instagram on December 4, tech giant Meta said Thursday, as Canberra prepares to enforce sweeping laws banning teens from social media.