CANBERRA, Australia – Australia is gearing up for a radical shift in how young people interact with social media, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announcing plans to ban children under the age of 16 from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
In an effort to combat the growing “scourge” of social media’s impact on mental health, Albanese is pushing for federal legislation to be introduced this year, aiming to get kids off their devices and “onto the footy fields.”
Speaking on national broadcaster ABC, Albanese emphasized the importance of children having “real experiences with real people” rather than becoming immersed in virtual worlds that have been linked to social harm.
“We know that there are mental health consequences for what many of the young people have had to deal with,” he said, describing the omnipresence of social media in children’s lives as a “scourge.”
While the exact age limit for logging onto social media remains undecided, Albanese has signaled his preference for a minimum age of 16.
The prime minister’s remarks come as Australia continues to lead global efforts in regulating tech giants, recently butting heads with Elon Musk’s X over the spread of harmful content.
However, critics argue that the technology needed to enforce such bans may not exist.
Toby Murray, associate professor in computing and information technology at the University of Melbourne, expressed skepticism. “We already know that present age verification methods are unreliable, too easy to circumvent, or risk user privacy.”
Australia’s conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton has thrown his support behind the plan, stating that every day of delay leaves children vulnerable to the darker sides of the online world.
“The time for relying on tech companies to enforce age limits has passed,” Dutton said, indicating a shared belief that the self-regulation of tech giants has failed.
Albanese has underscored that his government’s stance mirrors the concerns of parents, many of whom have been demanding stronger measures against online bullying and harmful content.
“These social media companies think they’re above everyone,” Albanese remarked during a radio interview. “Well, they have a social responsibility, and at the moment, they’re not exercising it. And we’re determined to make sure that they do.”
In an effort to combat the growing “scourge” of social media’s impact on mental health, Albanese is pushing for federal legislation to be introduced this year, aiming to get kids off their devices and “onto the footy fields.”
Speaking on national broadcaster ABC, Albanese emphasized the importance of children having “real experiences with real people” rather than becoming immersed in virtual worlds that have been linked to social harm.
“We know that there are mental health consequences for what many of the young people have had to deal with,” he said, describing the omnipresence of social media in children’s lives as a “scourge.”
While the exact age limit for logging onto social media remains undecided, Albanese has signaled his preference for a minimum age of 16.
The prime minister’s remarks come as Australia continues to lead global efforts in regulating tech giants, recently butting heads with Elon Musk’s X over the spread of harmful content.
However, critics argue that the technology needed to enforce such bans may not exist.
Toby Murray, associate professor in computing and information technology at the University of Melbourne, expressed skepticism. “We already know that present age verification methods are unreliable, too easy to circumvent, or risk user privacy.”
Australia’s conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton has thrown his support behind the plan, stating that every day of delay leaves children vulnerable to the darker sides of the online world.
“The time for relying on tech companies to enforce age limits has passed,” Dutton said, indicating a shared belief that the self-regulation of tech giants has failed.
Albanese has underscored that his government’s stance mirrors the concerns of parents, many of whom have been demanding stronger measures against online bullying and harmful content.
“These social media companies think they’re above everyone,” Albanese remarked during a radio interview. “Well, they have a social responsibility, and at the moment, they’re not exercising it. And we’re determined to make sure that they do.”
