Five major countries—Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Canada, and New Zealand—are shifting from self-regulation to legally enforceable age restrictions on social media platforms, primarily banning children under 16. Australia and Indonesia have already implemented laws with penalties for platforms; Brazil is enforcing similar measures; Canada is still in parliament; New Zealand faces political delays. This represents a global regulatory shift away from tech self-governance toward strict government oversight to protect youth mental health and combat online harassment.