Updated Nov 7, 2024 12:48 IST
Photo : ET Now Digital
Australia social media ban news: Children under 16 may be barred from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
Article Highlights
- The proposed ban targets children under 16 from joining social media.
- Law puts accountability on social platforms to verify age access.
- Legislation emphasizes protection from harmful content, online bullying.
In an unprecedented move, the Australian government has announced plans to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed the upcoming legislation, which will be tabled in parliament next week, in an effort to reduce the “harm” social media is inflicting on Australian children.
Albanese emphasized the need for the new laws, saying, “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,” according to a report by BBC.
Australia to ban social media for kids under 16
According to the government, children already on social media platforms will not be subject to the new restrictions. Moreover, there will be no age limit exemptions even with parental consent.
Instead, the responsibility will lie with social media companies, which must demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent underage access. The legislation does not impose penalties on users but will be enforced by Australia’s online regulatory body, the eSafety Commissioner.
Once approved, the law would go into effect 12 months later, with a planned review after implementation, as mentioned in the report by BBC.
Social media effects
While many experts agree that social media has a detrimental impact on adolescents’ mental health, opinions vary on the effectiveness of a blanket ban. As mentioned in the report by BBC, critics argue that such measures may only delay young people’s exposure to social media rather than equip them with the necessary skills to navigate it responsibly. Similar restrictions in other regions, such as the European Union, have faced significant pushback from tech firms and encountered difficulties in enforcing age restrictions.
One of Australia’s major child advocacy groups, the Australian Child Rights Taskforce, has voiced opposition, describing the ban as “too blunt an instrument.”
As per the report by BBC, The taskforce, alongside over 100 academics and civil society organizations, has urged the government to focus on enforcing “safety standards” for social platforms rather than imposing access restrictions.
In an open letter, they highlighted UN recommendations that suggest national policies should focus on allowing children safe and beneficial engagement with the digital world.
Why Australia wants a ban on social media?
Despite the criticism, the proposed ban has garnered strong support from grassroots campaigners, who argue that limiting children’s access to social media is necessary to protect them from harmful content, bullying, misinformation, and social pressures.
According to the report by BBC, the 36Months initiative, a petition with over 125,000 signatures, claims that social media is having a detrimental impact on the psychological development of young people, leading to increased mental health concerns. “Excessive social media use is rewiring young brains within a critical window of psychological development, causing an epidemic of mental illness,” the petition states.
Prime Minister Albanese acknowledged the divide on this issue but argued that educational measures are insufficient to counterbalance the powerful algorithms that influence users’ behavior. “I don’t know about you, but I get things popping up on my system that I don’t want to see. Let alone a vulnerable 14-year-old,” he said.
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