Australia's about to make history with what they're calling the toughest youth protection law yet—nobody under 16 gets access to major social platforms. We're talking Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, the whole lineup. Over a million accounts are getting the axe right during summer break.

This isn't just another age verification experiment. It's the first time any government's gone this hard on enforcing age restrictions across the board. Other countries have been watching and waiting to see if Australia actually pulls this off.

What makes this interesting? The timing. Rolling it out during summer means platforms have to scramble while usage peaks. Whether this becomes a regulatory blueprint for other nations or crashes and burns—that's the real question here.