The UK recently passed a new law that effectively bans children under the age of 16 from using most social-media platforms, a move that the UK government notes was based explicitly on Australia's similar law, which was passed in 2024 (Britain's law comes into effect next year). The law covers platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and X but it excludes messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal. Some social app features – such as livestreaming and the ability to be contac