The Australian government has announced it will introduce world-first legislation banning children under the age of 16 from accessing social media.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws, due to be tabled in Parliament next week, aimed to alleviate the “harm” social media inflicts on Australian children.
“This one is for mums and dads… They, like me, are worried about our children's safety online. I want Australian families to know that the government has your back,” he said. declared.
Although many details are still up for debate, the government has said the ban will not apply to young people already on social media.
There will be no exemption from the age limit for children who have parental consent, and the government says the onus will be on social media platforms to show they are taking reasonable steps to prevent 'access.
Albanese also clarified that there would be no penalties for users and that it would be up to Australia's online regulator – the Electronic Safety Commissioner – to enforce the laws.
The law would take effect 12 months after its adoption and would be subject to review once in force.
Some experts have criticized social media bans as ineffective, saying they only delay young people's exposure to social media, instead of teaching them how to navigate complex online spaces.
Previous attempts to enforce bans, including by the European Union, have largely failed or made implementation difficult given that there are tools to circumvent age verification requirements.
