Australia introduces bill to ban social media for children under 16

Melbourne: Australia’s Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland, has introduced a groundbreaking bill in Parliament aimed at banning children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms.

The proposed legislation, described as the world’s first of its kind, seeks to address growing concerns about online safety and the challenges faced by parents in safeguarding their children in the digital age.

Under the proposed law, platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young users from creating accounts.

“This bill seeks to establish a new societal norm that access to social media is not the defining feature of growing up in Australia,” Rowland told Parliament.

She highlighted widespread concerns about the unfiltered and excessive content young people are exposed to online, adding that the bill enjoys broad political support.

If passed, the law will give platforms one year to develop mechanisms to enforce the age restrictions. Rowland said that the harmful effects of social media on Australian youth, citing government research showing that nearly two-thirds of Australians aged 14 to 17 have encountered harmful content online, including material promoting drug abuse, self-harm, suicide, and violent behavior.

Additionally, a quarter of teenagers have been exposed to content encouraging unsafe eating habits. The minister noted that 95% of Australian caregivers view online security as one of their biggest parenting challenges.

“Social media has a social responsibility, and platforms must do better to address the harm occurring on their networks,” she said.

“This is not about punishing or isolating young people,” Rowland added. “We want to assure parents that we stand with them in supporting the health and well-being of their children.”