Australia will ban children under 16 from using social media, after its parliament approved the world's strictest laws. The ban, which will not take effect for at least 12 months, could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don't comply.

Global tech giants including Meta, TikTok and Google have heavily criticized Australian legislation to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, setting the stage for a policy fight as the government tries to push the bill through parliament this week.