Australia to ban social media for children under 16

Australia is planning to legislate a ban on social media for children under 16, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.

"Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," Albanese said. "I've spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online."

The legislation, seen as one of the world's strictest, will be introduced in Parliament during the session beginning November 18 and will take effect 12 months after the law is passed, the PM said.

According to Australian authorities, it will be up to social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to actively prevent minors from accessing the networks.

"The onus won't be on parents or young people," Albanese said.

Teens need digital literacy, safer online spaces

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said a year-long preparation period will facilitate the practical implementation of the age limit with input from the government.

Meanwhile, the Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI), a representative body that includes Meta, TikTok, X, and Alphabet's Google as members, warned that this step might harm teens by limiting their access to support networks.

"Keeping young people safe online is a top priority ...but the proposed ban for teenagers to access digital platforms is a 20th century response to 21st century challenges," said DIGI Managing Director Sunita Bose. Bose called for balanced solutions that foster digital literacy and create safer online spaces for young people.

Antigone Davis, Meta head of safety, said the company would respect any government regulation but also called for "a deeper discussion," adding that otherwise, "teens and parents will not find themselves in a better place."

Regulation attempt irks Musk

Earlier this year, Australia introduced a "combating misinformation" bill and also moved to outlaw the sharing of "deepfake" pornography without consent.

But attempts to regulate content on Elon Musk's X have sparked the billionaire's ire, with the mogul labeling the Australian government as "fascists" for trying to crack down on fake news on the platform.

Last year, France proposed a ban on social media for those under 15. Most users were able to circumvent the ban with parental consent.

In the United States, most social media platforms ban those under 13 from accessing their services.

ss/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)