Know Why Australia Plans To Ban Social Media For Children 16 (image-pixabay)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced that the government will legislate a ban on social media for children under 16, an initiative his government says is ‘world-leading’.
The social media platforms that would be impacted include Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, as well as TikTok and Elon Musk’s X. YouTube would also likely fall within the scope of the legislation.
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The companies who do not abide by the implemented law will face potential fines, Anthony said.
“Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it,” Prime Minister said during a news conference.
The legislation will be introduced into Parliament this year, with the laws into effect 12 months after the law is ratified by parliamentarians.
He further highlighted that there will be no exemption for users who have parental consent as well. The proposed social media ban for children in Australia was raised earlier this year and received broad bipartisan support in Parliament.
The long-awaited age restrictions for social media are part of a broader set of measures introduced by Albanese’s center-left Labour government to clamp down on technological giants, which the prime minister holds responsible for the rise in misinformation and mental health issues.
However, Albanese admitted that he did not expect the laws to be fully effective or solve the issue immediately, citing the failure of alcohol restriction to prevent underage drinking as an example.
Apart from this, the Labour government is also exploring new legislation to require social media platforms to combat misinformation and disinformation.
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Australia has a history of challenging large technological companies as of now, the country’s watchdog is locked in a running battle with Elon Musk’s X, accusing the platform of failing to stamp out harmful posts.
The Labour government has earlier introduced a “combating misinformation”, outlining sweeping powers to fine tech firms for breaching online safety obligations.
