Australia’s controversial new law barring under-16s from social media is one of the toughest crackdowns yet on platforms including Facebook and TikTok as governments worldwide grasp for ways to protect children from harmful content.

Australia has passed the world's first ban on social media use by children under 16 years old, a law that could hurt platforms like X, TikTok, Snap, Facebook and Instagram.

Big Tech corporations on Friday hit out at a landmark Australian law that bans youths under the age of 16 from accessing social media, saying the law was "rushed" through parliament. Australia approved the social media ban for children late on Thursday.