Meta begins deactivating accounts belonging to under 16sin Australia

Australia's world-first social media ban is now a reality for some teenagers. It would protect the young from an online "purgatory" created by algorithms sending them harmful content, the government said.

Tech giant Meta has begun removing accounts belonging to under-16s a week ahead of the government's deadline December 10  and there are already early signs of the lengths, young people will go to in order to bypass the new controls. Malaysia also indicated it was planning to block children under 16 from signing up to social media accounts next year, while New Zealand will introduce a similar ban.