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Australia to Ban Social Media for Under-16s in 'World-Leading' Move, Says PM

Nov 6, 2024, 11:11 PM

Australia plans to ban social media use for children under the age of 16, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced, describing the move as 'world-leading legislation'. The legislation will be introduced later this month and aims to protect children from online harms by addressing concerns over mental health and online safety. The proposed ban would impact platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, with no exemptions even for those with parental consent. Albanese stated, 'Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it.' The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking steps to enforce the age limit. This initiative positions Australia as the first country to impose a minimum social media age of 16.