The Australian government has decided to restrict children under 16 from social media. The government is set to introduce legislation to prevent social media access as part of protecting young people’s mental health. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday said the companies involved are required to implement the new regulations else would have to face fines. “The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus won’t be on parents or young people. There’ll be no penalties for users,” he told Bloomberg.
“If you're a 14-year-old kid getting this stuff, at a time where you're going through life's changes and maturing, it can be a really difficult time and what we're doing is listening and then acting,” Albanese emphasised on potential harm from social media. He added that unchecked social media algorithms have adversely affected impressionable children and teenagers.
The government have engaged with social media companies on the age limits, however, they have not yet clarified which platforms will be affected. According to Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, the ban would apply to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), along with YouTube. The authorities have not yet confirmed when the ban and penalties will be imposed on the companies. Besides this, the government is also exploring new legislation to combat misinformation on social media.
Albanese’s centre-left Labour government have long-awaited age restrictions for social media. They have introduced a set of measures to suppress technology giants, blaming them for the rise in misinformation and mental health issues. Reportedly, the ban would restrict any children under 16 from accessing social media, with no exemptions for children who have parental consent. The tech giants would be given a one-year grace period to analyse how they would implement the ban. The opposition Liberal Party has also extended support for the ban.
