# Australia’s government mounted a defence on Saturday of its world-first ban on social media for children under 16. It came a day after the nation’s internet regulator found that more than eight in ten Australian teenagers were still using social media three months after the restrictions took effect, while parental awareness of their online habits had actually declined. Australia introduced the landmark ban in December after concerns about the impact of social media on the mental and physical health of children. The ban, being closely watched overseas, has drawn criticism from social media companies, mostly based in the US.
Australia defends teen social media ban after study shows most still online