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Australia’s world-first social media ban begins as millions of children and teens lose access to accounts
December 9, 2025
Accounts held by users under 16 must be removed on apps that include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and Threads under ban How is Australia’s social media ban affecting you and your family? Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Australia has enacted a world-first ban on…
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Millions of children and teens lose access to accounts as Australia’s world-first social media ban begins
December 9, 2025
Accounts held by users under 16 must be removed on apps that include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and Threads under ban How is Australia’s social media ban affecting you and your family? Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Australia has enacted a world-first ban on…
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Reddit to comply with Australia’s ‘legally erroneous’ under-16 social media ban
December 9, 2025
Platform to introduce age-prediction model analysing users but argued to eSafety commissioner it was a source of information not a social media platform Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Reddit will comply with Australia’s under-16s social media ban, due to begin…
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‘Everyone will miss the socialising – but it’s also a relief’: five young teens on Australia’s social media ban
December 7, 2025
As the under-16s social media ban looms, Guardian Australia speaks to five 13 to 15-year-olds about what they will miss, and what government should be doing instead Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s will…
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YouTube says it will comply with Australia’s under-16s social media ban, with Lemon8 to also restrict access
December 3, 2025
Australia’s under-16s social media ban might take weeks to work but all platforms are on notice, government says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast YouTube will comply with the federal government’s under-16s social media ban, but its parent company Google has…
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Datacentres demand huge amounts of electricity. Could they derail Australia’s net zero ambitions?
December 3, 2025
Banks of servers operating 24/7 generate massive amounts of heat, requiring power to run and cool them Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Datacentre power demand in Australia could triple in five years and is forecast to exceed…
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Instagram’s age-verification identified a moustachioed adult as over 16 – but how did it go with a 13-year-old?
December 2, 2025
Meta platform allows users under 16 in Australia to change their date of birth – but only after clearing a ‘video selfie’ or providing government ID Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Instagram’s process for determining whether a user is over…
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‘A step-change’: tech firms battle for undersea dominance with submarine drones
November 28, 2025
As navies seek to counter submarines and protect cables, startups and big defence companies fight to lead market Flying drones used during the Ukraine war have changed land battle tactics for ever. Now the same thing appears to be happening under the sea. Navies around the world are racing to add autonomous submarines. The UK’s…
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Meta could face millions in fines for not signing content deals in Australia
November 13, 2025
Labor’s proposed media bargaining incentive to apply to platforms with Australian-derived revenue of at least $250m, according to Treasury Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Meta and other tech companies refusing to sign content deals with Australian news outlets face millions…
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AI study gives insights into why super-recognisers excel at identifying faces
November 5, 2025
Research uses eye-tracking data to examine some people’s extraordinary recognition ability They have been used in the search for the Salisbury novichok poisoners, finding murder suspects and even spotting sexual predators. Now, research has revealed fresh insights into why super-recognisers are so good at identifying faces. Previous research has suggested people with an extraordinary ability…
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