The new Australian law bans users under 16 from major social platforms such as Meta, TikTok and Snapchat, and Anthony Albanese defended it as a measure to protect young people.Companies face fines up to A$49.5 million for systemic failures, Reddit has launched a High Court challenge, and the Online Safety Commission has sought data on deleted accounts amid reports that children still access services via VPNs.Students such as Vivian Wilson and academics like Mark Johnson warn that age‑verification methods — from ID uploads to facial‑age scans — and the strength of enforcement will determine whether the ban closes loopholes or simply isolates teens.