Australia plans leading ban on social media for children under 16

Australia plans leading ban on social media for children under 16

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday that the government would introduce a law blocking social media for children under 16. Described by the government as a world-leading effort, it shows Australia is taking a clear stance on the safety of its young citizens.

Legislation against harmful influences

“Social media is harming our children, and I draw a clear line here,” Albanese told a news conference. The legislation is due to be introduced in Parliament later this year and the new rules will come into force 12 months after they are passed by lawmakers.

No exceptions for parental consent

There will be no exceptions for users who can provide parental consent. Albanese stressed: "The onus is on social media to demonstrate that they are taking appropriate measures to prevent access. The onus will not be on parents or young people."

Affected platforms and international comparisons

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the affected platforms will be Meta Platforms' Instagram and Facebook, as well as ByteDance's TikTok and Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter). Alphabet's YouTube will also likely fall under the new law, she added.

The four affected companies could not initially be reached for comment.

Comparison with other countries

Several countries have already taken measures to regulate children's use of social media, but Australia's approach is one of the strictest. France introduced a proposal to ban social media for those under 15 last year, but users were able to bypass access through parental consent.

For decades, the United States has required technology companies to obtain parental consent to access the data of children under 13. This led to most social media platforms denying people under this age access to their services.