The Australian government is planning to introduce legislation that would prevent children under the age of 16 from using social media.
On Thursday, Nov. 7, prime minister Anthony Albanese announced the “world-leading” legislation during a news conference, shared in full by Australia’s ABC News. According to Albanese, it would feature an age limit of 16 for kids to use social media platforms, with government officials saying it would apply to platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter).
The legislation will be introduced in Parliament during its last two weeks in session this year, which begins on Nov. 18. The age limit would come into effect 12 months after the law is passed and it will be reviewed following its commencement.
“This one’s for the mums and dads,” Albanese said as he announced the legislation. “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. And I want Australian parents and families to know that the government has your back. I want parents to be able to say, ‘Sorry mate, that’s against the law for me to get you to do this.’ ”
Albanese added that the government does not expect the changes they will be legislating to “fix everything immediately” but they will “set the parameters for our society.”
During the news conference, Albanese added that it will be the responsibility of social media platforms — not children or parents — to “demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.” He shared that there will be “no penalties for users” and that the Australia’s eSafety Commissioner “will provide oversight and enforcement. ”
The legislation would “not allow exemptions” if children have parental consent, Albanese added. He also said that he’d want to ensure kids still have access to things like educational services online.
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During the news conference, Albanese cited algorithms that “drive people towards certain behavior,” including young women seeing “images of particular body shapes” and young men being exposed to “misogynistic material.”
“If you’re a 14-year-old kid getting this stuff at a time when you’re going through life’s changes and maturing, it can be a really difficult time,” he said. “And what we’re doing is listening and then acting.”
Per Reuters, this follows a ban proposed in France last year for kids under the age of 15, which users could avoid with parental consent.
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According to the Associated Press, over 140 Australian and international academics with backgrounds in technology and child welfare signed an open letter to Albanese in October opposing an age limit on social media and calling it “too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.”
Meanwhile, Jackie Hallan, a director at the youth mental health service ReachOut, told the outlet that 73% of young people across Australia accessed mental health support through social media, along with sharing her fears that a ban would “drive the behavior underground.” “Then if things go wrong, young people are less likely to get support from parents and carers because they’re worried about getting in trouble,” Hallan said.
Antigone Davis, head of safety at Meta, told the AP that the company would respect the country’s proposed age restrictions. “However, what’s missing is a deeper discussion on how we implement protections, otherwise we risk making ourselves feel better, like we have taken action, but teens and parents will not find themselves in a better place,” she said in a statement, adding that tools for parents to control their children’s apps would be a “simple and effective solution.”
Spokespeople for X, Meta and TikTok did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Thursday, Nov. 7.
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