India, Nov. 12 -- Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook, along with TikTok and Snapchat, will soon begin deactivating accounts of underage users in Australia as part of the country's new online safety law. The move, effective from December 10, marks the world's first nationwide ban on children under 16 using social media without parental consent.

According to a report by Reuters, social media platforms will send notifications to affected teenagers before their accounts are permanently deleted. The message will give users three options: download their data, freeze their profiles, or lose access to their accounts entirely.

This new regulation, introduced under Australia's Online Safety Act, aims to protect children from the growing mental hea...