Australia Proposes Strict Social Media Ban for Children Under 16
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces a plan to ban social media access for children under 16, placing enforcement responsibility directly on tech platforms without exceptions for parental consent.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces plans to ban social media for children under the age of 16, declaring that social media is doing harm to kids. The proposed legislation enters parliament this year and takes effect one year after ratification. Notably, the law includes no exemptions for parental consent, meaning the ban applies universally to young teens.
Major tech platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, and likely YouTube bear the responsibility to prevent underage users from accessing their services. This approach ranks among the strictest social media regulations in the world. By placing the compliance burden directly on the tech companies, Australia forces the industry to develop robust age-verification systems.
Australia is not alone in this crackdown, as numerous other countries move in a similar direction. Norway recently announces plans to raise its social media age limit from 13 to 15, with its prime minister criticizing profit-driven tech companies for targeting developing brains. These coordinated international efforts signal a growing global push to shield children from the negative impacts of social media.