KUALA LUMPUR — Australia will ban social media for children under 16 in what Canberra has touted a “world-leading” law.
The proposed law, which will not give any exemption to under-16 users even if they have parental consent, will be tabled in Parliament this year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
If passed by lawmakers, it will come into effect 12 months later, Reuters reported him saying in Sydney today.
“Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” he told a news conference.
“The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.
“The onus won’t be on parents or young people.”
In a separate statement, Australia’s Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said platforms impacted would include Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, as well as Bytedance’s TikTok and Elon Musk’s X.
Alphabet’s YouTube would likely also fall within the scope of the legislation, she added.
The four companies have not responded to requests for comment.
Australia’s policy will be one of the strictest among attempts by other countries to regulate social media use by minors.
France last year proposed a ban on social media for those under 15 but allowed users who have parental consent. – November 7, 2024