Sydney, Australia

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday (Nov 7) announced plans to legislate a ban on social media for children under 16. The ban touted as world-leading by the Australian government aims to curb the physical and mental health risks associated with social media use.

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“Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it,” he said.

Albanese highlighted the potential harm caused by social media, including body image issues affecting young girls and exposure to misogynistic content for boys.

Also read | Australia to ban social media use for kids under THIS age to tackle mental health crisis

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“If you're a 14-year-old kid getting this stuff, at a time where you're going through life's changes and maturing, it can be a really difficult time and what we're doing is listening and then acting,” he said.

Australia's social media ban

The ban, which could be enforced by the end of 2025, is part of a wider strategy involving an age-verification system currently under trial.

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This legislation would require social media companies to actively prevent children from accessing their platforms, shifting the responsibility from parents or young people onto the tech companies themselves.

“The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access,” said the Australian PM, adding, “The onus won't be on parents or young people.”

Also read | This country will increase minimum age limit to use social media to 15 to protect children

The ban would apply to popular platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), along with YouTube, which would also likely fall under the new regulations, according to Communications Minister Michelle Rowland.

The opposition Liberal Party has expressed support for a ban.

Similar moves in other countries have typically allowed for parental consent to override age restrictions, as seen in France, or focused on data consent for younger users, as in the US. However, Australia's approach would bar any children under 16 from accessing social media, with no exemptions for children who have parental consent or those who already have accounts.

This means Australia's policy would be among the strictest globally.

The legislation will be introduced later this year, with enforcement expected a year after ratification.

(With inputs from agencies)