Australia proposes ban on social media for those under 16

SYDNEY - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Nov 7 the government would legislate for a ban on social media for children under 16, a policy the government says is world-leading.

"Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," Mr Albanese told a news conference.

Legislation will be introduced into parliament in 2024, with the laws coming into effect 12 months after it is ratified by lawmakers, he added.

There will be no exemptions for users who have parental consent.

"The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access," Mr Albanese said. "The onus won't be on parents or young people."

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said platforms impacted would include Meta Platforms' Instagram and Facebook, as well as TikTok and Elon Musk's X. Alphabet's YouTube would likely also fall within the scope of the legislation, she added.

All four companies impacted were not immediately reachable for comment.

A number of countries have already vowed to curb social media use by children through legislation, though Australia’s policy is one of the most stringent.

In 2023, France proposed a ban on social media for those under 15, though users were able to avoid the ban with parental consent.

The United States has for decades required technology companies to seek parental consent to access the data of children under 13, leading to most social media platforms banned those under that age from accessing their services. REUTERS