A social media ban for children under 16 has passed the Australian Senate and will soon become a world-first law. The law will make social media platforms — TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram — liable for fines of up to $33 million for failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. The platforms will have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties come into effect. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the ban is necessary, having previously argued that there is a "clear, causal link" between social media and the harm done to the mental health of young Australians. Opposition Senator Maria Kovacic shared similar views. "The core focus of this legislation is simple: It demands that social media companies take reasonable steps to identify and remove underage users from their platforms," she told the Senate. "This is a responsibility these companies should have been fulfilling long ago, but for too long they have shirked these responsibilities in favor of profit," she added. But while many support the ban, some argue the legislation could cause more harm than it prevents. Senator David Shoebridge, from the Greens party, said mental health experts agreed that the ban could dangerously isolate many children who used social media to find support. "This policy will hurt vulnerable young people the most, especially in regional communities and especially the LGBTQI community, by cutting them off," Shoebridge told the Senate. Opponents also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of the positive aspects of social media, drive them to the dark web, discourage children too young for social media to report harm and reduce incentives for platforms to improve online safety. While the law is the first of its kind worldwide, other countries have discussed similar measures.