Australia Introduces Landmark Legislation for Social Media Ban on Under-16s

The proposed law, if enacted, will restrict access to social media for children under 16, reflecting parental anxieties and safety concerns, while raising debate about its effectiveness.

The Australian government has announced plans for groundbreaking legislation that would ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the need for such laws, stating that consultations with parents, social media companies, and experts underscored the urgent need to address the "harm" caused by social media to Australian youth. "This one is for the mums and dads... They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online. I want Australian families to know that the government has your back," he stated.

While specifics of the legislation are still forthcoming, it has been confirmed that existing young social media users will not be forced to delete their accounts. Furthermore, there will be no allowance for parental consent exemptions, placing the burden on platforms to implement reasonable measures to keep under-16s compliant with the new regulations. Importantly, Albanese clarified that there would be no direct penalties for young users, with enforcement responsibilities handed to Australia’s online regulator, the eSafety Commissioner.

This proposed law is set to take effect 12 months post-passage and will undergo a review once implemented. Critics argue that outright bans on social media may not effectively solve the issue of youth exposure, instead postponing it and failing to equip children with necessary skills to navigate digital landscapes safely. Internationally, previous legislation aimed at enforcing similar age restrictions, particularly in the European Union, has faced significant hurdles and often proved difficult to enforce due to the availability of circumvention tools for age verification.