Australia considering a social media ban for children under the age of 16

Australia has proposed a ban on social media for children under 16. The new bill will mandate social media platforms to enforce these regulations, or they will face fines. 

As reported by Bloomberg, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, "social media is doing harm to our kids, and I am calling time on it." 

Albanese said that the onus to enforce the regulations, "will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus will not be on parents or young people. There will be no penalties for users.”

Albanese admitted that the laws, "would not fix the problem immediately", citing alcohol regulations in the country that have, so far, not eliminated the problem of underage drinking. 

The Australian government said it had consulted with social media firms on the age limit but did not specify the services the ban would apply to. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland confirmed that the ban will affect Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.  

In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Meta's head of safety, Antigone Davis, said Meta will respect, "any age limitations the government wants to introduce for social media use." 

“What’s missing is a deeper discussion on how we implement protections. Otherwise, we risk making ourselves feel better like we have taken action, but teens and parents will not find themselves in a better place,” Davis added.