Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Thursday that he is proposing legislation to ban social media for children under 16.
Under the law, social media platforms will be required to bar access to minors under the age of 16, without exception for parental consent, Albanians said. announced at a press conference Thursday. The Prime Minister cited the harm social media causes to children as the basis for his proposal.
“Social media is having a negative impact on children, so I want to take the time to address it,” Albanese said at a press conference. “This is a world-leading law. We want to make sure it’s done correctly.”
“This is very concerning and we know the social harm that can be caused and we know what the consequences here will be,” Albanese said. continued.
A man watches the Fox News website on his smartphone as he waits for votes to be counted for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election in Turin, Italy, November 6, 2024. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
Albanese made it clear that platforms, not parents, are responsible for protecting minors from social media, and that users will not be penalized for breaking the law. The country will reconsider its legal definition of age-appropriate content to ensure that minors can continue to access educational resources online.
Albanese said the proposal will be considered by cabinet on Friday and will come into force 12 months after it is passed.
“We know social media brings a lot of good to Australians, but we also know it brings a lot of harm,” Australian Communications Minister Michelle Rowland told the conference. “As the Prime Minister said, I want to say to parents that when it comes to protecting children from the harm caused by content and addictive behavior as a result of social media, we are on your side. The reality is that social media has a social responsibility, but the platforms are not fulfilling it.
Some U.S. states, including California and Florida, already enforce social media restrictions for minors, but allow exceptions with parental consent. US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called on policymakers to crack down on social media in May 2023, warning of a “significant risk of harm” to minors. (Related: Social media access for minors could change dramatically by 2024)
All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
