Australian government moves to ban social media for kids under 16

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled ‘world-leading’ plans to set a minimum age of 16 for social media access, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, and even YouTube.

The proposed legislation will be introduced to lawmakers in two weeks. However, after the ratification, the law will take 12 months to come into effect.

“Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I'm calling time on it. I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties, and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online,” Albanese said at a press conference in the Parliament House. “I want parents to be able to say, ‘Sorry mate, it's against the law for me to get you to do this.’”

According to the proposal, social media companies will be responsible for proving they're “taking reasonable steps to prevent access.” The eSafety Commissioner will provide oversight and enforcement. Under the proposed legislation, the maximum penalties are “less than a million dollars.”

“We will not allow exemptions if users have parental consent,” Albanese added.

The Australian government acknowledges that perfect enforcement isn't possible, and social media offers many benefits. However, it also introduces many harms, and social media platforms are failing to protect children.

“As a mother of two young daughters, I understand this personally,” Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications, said. “The welfare of children is a collective responsibility.”

Rowland added that platforms know their users “better than anyone,” and understand their habits and behaviors to assess their age.

Albanese highlighted dangers to children's health and safety posed by social media algorithms that steer people “towards certain behavior.” Girls face harmful body image pressures, while boys encounter misogynistic content.

According to Reuters, Australia is the first country in the world to propose a stringent verification method that may include a biometric or ID check. The suggested age limit is also the highest, with no exemptions for parental consent or pre-existing accounts.

“It is commonly understood that those definitions of what constitutes social media include ones such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X. YouTube would likely fall within that definition as well,” Rowland said.

The Digital Industry Group, a representative body that includes Meta, TikTok, X, and Alphabet's Google as members, said the measure could encourage young people to explore darker, unregulated parts of the internet while cutting their access to support networks.

“Keeping young people safe online is a top priority ... but the proposed ban for teenagers to access digital platforms is a 20th Century response to 21st Century challenges,” said DIGI Managing Director Sunita Bose.

“Rather than blocking access through bans, we need to take a balanced approach to create age-appropriate spaces, build digital literacy, and protect young people from online harm,” she added.

Last year, France proposed banning social media use by children under 15, though users could avoid the ban with parental consent.

For decades, the United States has required technology companies to seek parental consent to access the data of children under 13, leading to most social media platforms banning those under that age from accessing their services.