Reports from social media companies or Australian regulatory bodies

Australia to Ban Social Media for Under-16s Without Exceptions, PM Albanese Announces

Nov 7, 2024, 12:21 AM

Australia is set to introduce legislation next week to ban social media access for children under the age of 16, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced. The Cabinet agreed to the age limit bill on Monday, aiming to make Australia the first country globally to impose such a restriction without exemptions, even with parental consent. The ban is intended to protect children from the harmful effects of social media on mental health and online safety. The platforms impacted include Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, among others. Under the proposed legislation, social media companies will be required to verify the age of their users and prevent those under 16 from creating accounts. The government asserts that the onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking action to comply with the new regulations or face potential fines. "Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," Prime Minister Albanese said, describing the initiative as "world-leading legislation" and stating that the action is "for the mums and dads." There are concerns about how the ban will be enforced and whether platforms can effectively restrict access for underage users.