Australia says social media ban to protect young from ‘purgatory’

SYDNEY — Australia’s looming social media ban will protect the young from an online “purgatory” created by algorithms sending them harmful content, the government said Wednesday. The country will from December 10 ban under-16s from a raft of the world’s most popular social media platforms and websites, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. When it comes into force, it will be the first such legislation in the world. “With one law, we can protect Generation Alpha from being sucked into purgatory by the predatory algorithms,” Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters. Currently, “the algorithm will attack them so deftly, so subtly, it resembles an embrace. Their interactions will be unsupervised and weaponised because their parents can’t watch them 24/7,” she said. Some Australian teens had killed themselves as algorithms “latched on” — targeting them with content that drained their self-esteem, Wells said. “This specific law will not fix every harm occurring on the internet, but it will make it easier for kids to chase a better version of themselves.” The minister a

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