The Australian Senate passed a social media ban for young children on Thursday that will soon become a world-first law. The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts.

Platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram will have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced.

The ban could see technology companies such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat fined up to roughly $33 million if they fail to prevent young children from holding accounts.

Wayne Holdsworth became an advocate for banning Australian children younger than 16 from social media because his son took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam

Australia has imposed a sweeping ban on social media for children under 16, one of the world’s most comprehensive measures aimed at safeguarding young people from potential hazards online. But many details were still unclear,

The law, which will take at least 12 months before it comes into effect, will see social media companies fined £25.7m ($50m Australian dollars) if they don't follow the rules. It makes Australia the first country in the world to bring in a social media ban for under-16s.