TL;DR
- Australia plans to introduce legislation banning children under 16 from accessing social media platforms.
- No exceptions will be made, even with parental consent, and platforms will be responsible for enforcing the law.
- The ban targets major platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.
- The law is expected to be introduced this year with a 12-month phase-in period after approval.
Protecting the mental and physical well-being of young Australians, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Thursday that his government will introduce legislation to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms. The proposed law, described as one of the strictest globally, is set to be introduced in Parliament by the end of this year, with enforcement expected to begin 12 months after its approval.
“Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it,” Albanese declared during a press briefing. He emphasized the urgent need for government intervention, citing growing concerns about the negative impact of social media on young users, particularly regarding body image issues and exposure to harmful content.
The legislation will apply to major social media platforms, including Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, ByteDance’s TikTok, Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), and Alphabet’s YouTube. Unlike similar laws proposed in other countries, such as France’s ban for users under 15 that allows parental consent as an exception, Australia’s law will be absolute no exceptions will be made even with parental approval.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland elaborated on the scope of the legislation, stating that social media companies would bear full responsibility for ensuring compliance. “The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access,” Rowland said.”The onus won’t be on parents or young people.” Failure to comply could result in significant penalties for these companies.
The Albanese government’s decision comes amid increasing global scrutiny of social media’s effects on children. While countries like France and the United States have implemented various measures to regulate minors’ access to these platforms, Australia’s approach stands out due to its comprehensive and stringent nature. In the U.S., tech companies are required to obtain parental consent before collecting data from users under 13, but there is no outright ban on access for older children.
Albanese’s announcement has already garnered support from opposition parties, signaling a strong likelihood that the legislation will pass. “This initiative is for the parents,” Albanese said. “They, like myself, worry deeply about our children’s online safety. The government is committed to supporting Australian families.”
Concerns about the feasibility of enforcing such a ban have been raised by some experts. Toby Murray, a researcher at the University of Melbourne, previously pointed out that current age verification systems are often unreliable or intrusive, making it difficult to ensure compliance without compromising privacy. However, Australia is reportedly trialing new age-verification technologies that could help address these challenges.
The proposed law has sparked debate over its potential effectiveness and whether it might simply delay young people’s engagement with social media rather than prepare them for navigating its complexities. Critics argue that education about responsible online behavior may be a more effective long-term solution.
Despite these concerns, Albanese remains firm in his stance. “If you’re a 14-year-old kid getting this stuff at a time when you’re going through life’s changes and maturing, it can be a really difficult time,” he said. “What we’re doing is listening and then acting.”
As Australia moves forward with this pioneering legislation, all eyes will be on how social media companies respond and whether other nations follow suit in adopting similarly robust measures to protect their younger populations from online harm.
