Charlotte Hadfield
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

It's nearly 20:00 in Sydney (09:00 GMT here in London) and Australian teens are nearing the end of their first day without access to a number of major social media apps.

At midnight, the country's new social media ban for children under the age of 16 came into force.

The new legislation - hailed as "world-leading" by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese - means companies could face fines if they don't take "reasonable steps" to prevent Australians under-16 from opening social media accounts.

Instragram, Facebook, X, SnapChat, TikTok, Reddit and YouTube are among the platforms required to enforce it, but that list could change in the future - here's all you need to know

The BBC has spoken to teenagers across Australia who have mixed opinions on the ban - ranging from supportive to critical.

Many firms affected by the new rules say the ban could actually make children less safe online, impinge on their rights and will be difficult to enforce.

It's a bold move that many other countries are watching carefully, our Australia correspondent writes, but adds how the government will judge success is unclear.

We're ending our live coverage now. You can read more in the links below:

• Kids locked out of social media apps after Australia's world-first ban
• How does the ban work?
• 'It's insulting they think we can't handle it': The Australian teens banned from social media
• Australia's social media ban for children has left big tech scrambling

Katy Watson
Australia correspondent

This ban has been in the making for a year now.

Throughout, supporters have argued it's for the wellbeing of children who they say are spending too much time online and risk being exposed to uncontrollable pressures, bullying and predators.

Opponents say restricting children's access to the internet runs the risk of pushing them to even less regulated corners of it - and they question the effectiveness of the age-verification tech the ban relies on.

Among those affected are children who are seen as both winning - saved from the potential dangers of social media - and losing out - no longer having the community and connections that may be harder to forge offline.

The debate is far from settled, but Australia's experiment has now begun.

• More from Katy as she speaks to BBC World Service's The Global Story podcast here

James Chater
reporting from Sydney

I was set the task of avoiding all the social media platforms that are banned from today - something I thought would be easier than it has been in reality.

And at this point, I have a confession to make. I have looked at some social media today - but only for professional purposes, promise.

Those occasional glances at Instagram, though, have given me a small window into what I’ve been missing in the forbidden realm.

That includes a group chat where friends have been organising a car to take us to a Lady Gaga concert in Sydney this weekend. Guess I’ll walk!

While I was surprised - and slightly unnerved - by how unthinkingly I reached for certain apps, my digital detox - and especially seeing the fun, silly messages from friends that went unanswered - does make me think about the importance of internet culture in young relationships.

One day can hardly compare to the new reality faced by Australia’s teens.

Oliver, 14, says whether or not teens feel the need to use social media is hugely determined by their friends.

We've been hearing more from teens in Victoria, as they grapple with the new social media ban:

"Banning social media will encourage teens to get off their phones and do other activities, but it is not going to solve the device addictions present among young people... I think that they are cemented into the future no matter what actions governments take," Charlotte, 15

"Instead of outright banning [these platforms] you should restrict some of the content and features on these apps," Piper, 14

"Australian Government has once again forgotten about those in remote areas, those who are bullied, or in unsafe homes who’s only escape or safe space is social media. They've forgotten about those without a parental figure who rely on the platforms to learn basic skills, whether its makeup or kicking a footy," Zoe, 15

Banning children from social media platforms will not address the key issues, says Prof Dan Angus.

He has a 13-year-old daughter and teaches digital communications at the Queensland University of Technology.

Spencer and Aahil are both 13 years old and have been friends since primary school.

Both are in year 7 now, but at different high schools, so they rely on Snapchat and Discord to keep in touch - messaging every few days.

The BBC met up with the pair at a cafe after they finished school and both were able to log into Snapchat without a hitch, but admitted their accounts didn't have their real ages.

They say they also use YouTube regularly - to watch reviews or gaming videos - with Spencer using TikTok.

Aahil says he feels he is addicted to social media, as he enjoys the dopamine hit he says he receives. But that with the ban, he adds, he might play more video games, read manga or go outside.

Both boys say the minimum age to access social media should be 14, rather than 16.

And Roblox, a popular gaming platform for young people, should have stricter guidelines, both say.

Monty, 15, is leaning towards supporting the ban, but feels there are benefits to using YouTube for education and entertainment.

We've been getting hearing from teens in Victoria, as they spend their first day without social media:

"Social media is a dangerous place and many risks come with the apps especially for younger kids. I do, however, still believe that [the age limit for the ban] should be lowered to at least 14 and 9 months. In Australia that is the legal age to get a job, so what do you mean I can get a job but can’t watch a YouTube video?" Ashlee, 13

"Things pop up so fast on social media, and you end up watching them even if you don’t want to. You see things that make you feel sad so not seeing them would be better for our own mental health," Indiana, 14

"The government is taking the easy route to find a solution for these problems... there is lots of harmful content across the internet, but this is what the government should be focusing on," Tayla, 14

Tiffanie Turnbull
Reporting from Sydney

Image source, BBC/Jessica Hromas

Ahead of the ban, we spoke to 13-year-old Isobel, who told us it took her less than five minutes to outsmart it.

A notification from Snapchat, one of the ten platforms affected, had lit up her screen, warning she'd be booted off when the law kicked in this week – if she couldn't prove she was over 16.

She claimed she used a photo of her mother to bypass the app's age checks - something the company behind them says is extremely improbable. Experts, though, have repeatedly raised concerns about loopholes like this.

We've checked in for an update today, and Isobel says she is still happily Snapchatting away.

On TikTok, though, she says she was booted off overnight, but can still scroll on the app - as can her younger brother on YouTube - despite their accounts being frozen.

"Going well!" is Isobel's mum's tongue-in-cheek assessment.

A parenting podcaster and author, Mel had hoped the ban would work but was very sceptical - and thinks it may have distracted from other meaningful action to make children safer online.

Osmond Chia
Business reporter

Snapchat, one of the most popular social media apps among Australia’s teens, has enlisted the software of a Singapore-based firm called k-ID to keep kids off its platform.

The company provides age checks for digital services like gaming and social media platforms. On Snapchat, users will see a prompt to prove their age, through several methods, including taking a selfie for the software to estimate their age.

But some users say they have found ways to bypass these app checks, such as by using images of older people.

The company's chief corporate affairs officer Luc Delaney tells the BBC that verification is a “constant battle” for firms in the business.

K-ID’s software will be constantly improved over time as new examples of how people work around the system surface, he says. "But we don't advise people to try to circumvent these tools as they might be banned from the platform."

Jacinta, 15, tells the BBC that Snapchat is the social media platform she uses the most.

She's against the ban, saying: "From my perspective, it's kind of insulting to think that they don't trust me with the internet."

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hailed the new social media ban for children as a proud moment – and one he says will will go down in history as a great reform.

So, let's have a quick look at the basics of the new policy.

What's involved? Under the legislation - which came into force from midnight (13:00 GMT yesterday) - companies could face heavy fines if they don't take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from opening social media accounts.

What platforms are affected? Social media companies falling within the legislation include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.

Those social media firms have argued the ban would be ineffective, difficult to implement, and could isolate vulnerable teenagers.

Any exemptions? Other sites such as YouTube Kids, Google Classroom and messaging apps including WhatsApp will still be available for under-16s to use.

What does the ban look like? The new online reality has already started to set in for 15-year-old Lulu who has navigated around the ban by creating a new account.

Her old accounts, with her real age, have shut her out, as you can see here.

Will it be successful? The hope is that by Christmas, the government will have a better idea about whether the restrictions are working - and what repercussions there will be for companies that fail to follow the rules.

Our Australia correspondent writes that many other countries are watching on carefully.

The BBC's Tiffanie Turnbull asks parents in Sydney about what they think of the social media ban - and what they hope the policy might achieve.

Image source, Digital Freedom Project

Two teens - backed by a human rights group - are publicly speaking up against Australia's new social media ban, challenging the policy in the country's highest court.

They argue that the law takes away the right to free communication, instead calling for social media firms and the government to devote their resources to tackling harmful online content.

One of the teenagers, Macy Newland, tells the BBC the ban will affect relationships, and where they get information from.

"Democracy doesn't start at 16 as this law says it will," she says.

• Read more: Ban harmful content from social media instead of us, say Australian teens

We spoke to 12-year-old Lola Farrugia, who says she doesn’t use social media because she finds it can be a "distraction" from school and connecting with her friends and family.

Ashwini, 12
Reporting from Sydney

As part of its live coverage, the BBC asked teens affected by the ban to take part in our coverage. Some of them carried out interviews for us and we’ll be featuring them on this page. Here's one such report:

“It will be a big change,” says 13-year-old Olivia, who says kids use social media for lots of positive things like “advice, looking up to role models and communication”.

And she’s not sure that it will protect children from harmful content “since we will still be able to view things without an account, like YouTube and TikTok”.

But, she says it will be good for younger children, who will “grow up without it and have a very different lifestyle to how we did”.

Image source, Getty Images

Julie Inman Grant, Australia's eSafety Commissioner, has tempered expectations around the removal of under-16 accounts in interviews today, saying that there ban would face "teething problems".

"I don’t expect that they’re all going to magically disappear," she said of the under-16 accounts on Channel Nine's Today programme.

She said there may be "blatant non-compliance" from tech companies, "but we've got plans for that".

Later speaking on ABC, Grant said: "Technology companies are used to moving fast and breaking things. They can certainly move fast and improve things, and that means deactivating these under-16 accounts."

She acknowledged some nerves over the ban - and the global attention on it. "I've aged in dog years," she told Channel Nine.

But she added: "I'm trying to contain my excitement".

Iris Zeng
Reporting from Sydney

As a non-user of social media, Frankie, 14, has spent her free time making pillowcases, bags and brownies.

She has even tried teaching her dog to skateboard.

"It takes a lot of time... If I did have social media, I wouldn't be able to do those fun things that I do now," she says.

But other teens say they’re worried they’ll struggle to switch offline.

For some teens, social media is "a source of venting their frustrations or their only escape from reality", says Molly, 14, who spends 30 minutes to one hour everyday following her friends' activities on Snapchat and TikTok.

"And taking that away from someone can cause more harm than good."

Similarly, Patrick, 14, who enjoys watching cooking videos on YouTube believes the ban goes "too far" but accepts social media is "overused".

"Banning it gives more time for exercise and to socialise with the family," he says.

Around the country, teens have been encountering new restrictions as they try to get onto their favourite social media platforms.

We spoke to some who have been successful at accessing their accounts despite the ban, and others who have been less so.