Child-safety experts say similar move in Britain would penalise young people for safety failings of tech companies

• How Australia’s tough social media ban compares to laws in other countries
• UK politics live – latest updates

Child-safety experts have warned the UK government against enacting an Australian-style social media ban for children under 16, which they called a “retrograde step” that would “do more harm than good”.

On Thursday, Australia became the first country in the world to ban under-16s from using social media platforms. The move was supported by a large majority of the Australian public – but academics, politicians and child-rights groups said it could backfire, driving teenagers to the dark web, or make them feel more isolated.