World News for Students of English

12-12-2025 07:00

Australia starts a new rule that stops children under 16 from access to social media. Platforms must remove accounts of young users and mustn’t allow new ones. If they ignore the rule, they will face very high fines.

The government says the rule is important because many children face cyberbullying, sleeping problems, and strong emotional stress. Clinics see more young people with depression and anxiety, and some doctors report cases in which even very young children show signs of heavy use. Some experts support the rule. They say social media companies care more about profit than about the health of young users. They argue that these platforms use tools that keep people online for long hours. Long studies show a link between heavy use and depression, especially among girls. Supporters believe that the new rule may limit the harm and may help families; however, other experts don’t support the rule. They believe it doesn’t solve the real problem. Children may avoid the rule with help from adults or secret tools, therefore it is necessary to take other steps such as limits on ads, safer settings, and better digital education.

Difficult words: cyberbullying (when someone hurts another person online with bad words or actions), anxiety (a strong feeling of worry or fear), avoid (to stay away from something).

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