The Australian government says it will introduce the world’s first law to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws, which will be introduced to parliament next week, are aimed at reducing the “harm” social media is causing to Australian children.
“This is for mums and dads… They, like me, are concerned about the safety of our children online. I want Australian families to know that the government has put up with it,” he said.
Although many details are yet to be discussed, the government has said that the ban will not apply to young people who are already on social media.
There will be no relaxation of the age limit for children having consent from their parents, and the government says the onus will be on social media to demonstrate that they are taking appropriate measures to prevent access.
Albanese also clarified that there would be no fines for users, and that it would be up to Australia’s internet regulator – the eSafety Commissioner – to enforce the rules.
This law will come into force 12 months after it is passed and will be subject to review after it comes into force.
Some experts have criticized social media bans as ineffective, saying they discourage young people from accessing social media, instead of teaching them to navigate the complexities of the internet.
Previous attempts to enforce the ban, including by the European Union, have largely failed or found implementation challenging given that there are tools that can circumvent age verification requirements.
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