Australia Passes Law To Ban Use Of Social Media For Under 16; First Country To Do So

The legislation was passed in the lower chamber of parliament on Wednesday and the Senate passed it on Thursday evening.

Representational Image | Australia has passed a law banning children under 16 from social media platforms, one of the world's toughest crackdowns.

Source : Nathan Dumlao/Unsplash

Australia's parliament approved groundbreaking legislation to prohibit children under 16 from using social media platforms. It introduces one of the world's toughest crackdowns on globally popular sites like Facebook, Instagram, and X.

The bill, which received bipartisan support, has cleared both parliamentary chambers and is likely to become law. It requires social media companies to take "reasonable steps" to prevent underage teens from creating accounts.

According to a report by AFP, companies failing to comply could face fines of up to Aus$50 million (USD 32.5 million). However, industry representatives have criticised the legislation, labelling it "vague," "problematic," and "rushed."

The legislation was passed in the lower chamber of parliament on Wednesday and the Senate passed it on Thursday evening. Now, it is likely to become a law.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is eyeing for the election which is scheduled to be held by next year has strongly endorsed the new measures and urged Australian parents to support the initiative. He labelled social media as "a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators".

"Off their phones and onto the footy and cricket field, the tennis and netball courts, in the swimming pool, " he also said.

But, 12-year-old, Angus Lydom, not impressed by this move told AFP, "I'd like to keep using it. And it'll be a weird feeling to not have it, and be able to talk to all my friends at home."

Many are in the process of finding different ways around it. "I'll find a way. And so will all my other friends" Lydom said.

Similarly, 11-year-old Elsie Arkinstall said there was still a place for social media, particularly for children wanting to watch tutorials about baking or art, many of which appear on social media.

Similarly, 11-year-old Elsie Arkinstall expressed that social media still serves a purpose, especially for children interested in learning skills like baking or art through online tutorials. "Kids and teens should be able to explore those techniques because you can't learn all those things from books," she said.

Legislation Expresses Concern Over Implementation, Regulations

While the ban appears to be one of the strictest globally, the legislation provides few details on how it will be enforced, raising concerns among experts that it could become largely symbolic and difficult to implement.

It will take around 12 months for regulators to finalise enforcement mechanisms before the ban takes effect. Certain platforms, such as WhatsApp and YouTube, may receive exemptions to accommodate recreational or educational needs.

To address privacy concerns, later amendments were introduced to ensure government-issued digital IDs for age verification. Social media expert Susan Grantham suggested adopting digital literacy programmes that teach children to critically evaluate online content, similar to Finland's approach.

Social media expert Susan Grantham suggested adopting digital literacy programmes that teach children to "critically" evaluate online content, similar to the approach used by Finland.

The legislation is being closely watched internationally, with several countries considering similar measures. Although lawmakers in regions like Spain and Florida have proposed bans for younger teens, none have been enacted yet.

China has already implemented stringent restrictions for minors, limiting under-14s to 40 minutes per day on Douyin, its version of TikTok, and imposing strict controls on online gaming time.