The Australian government is set to propose a groundbreaking bill banning children under 16 from social media. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the legislation would be tabled in parliament next week, aiming to address the harm social media inflicts on young people.
“This one is for the mums and dads,” Albanese stated, highlighting parents’ concerns over online safety. He assured families that the government was taking action to protect children. The proposed ban would apply even to those under 16 currently using social media, with no parental consent exceptions. The burden will be on social media companies to show they are preventing underage access.
Australia’s online regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, will oversee the enforcement. Users will not face penalties, and the law, if passed, will take effect 12 months after implementation and include a review period.
Experts agree that social media can impact adolescents’ mental health, but opinions differ on the effectiveness of a total ban. Some argue that such measures only delay exposure without teaching young users how to manage online spaces. Past attempts to regulate access, including in the EU, have often faced resistance and technical challenges.
The Australian Child Rights Taskforce criticised the proposal as too harsh, advocating instead for stringent safety standards on platforms. The group cited UN advice promoting safe, beneficial online engagement for children.
However, grassroots campaigns like 36Months, backed by over 125,000 signatories, support the move, pointing to rising mental health issues due to excessive social media use. Albanese argued that education alone is insufficient due to the powerful algorithms driving online behaviour.
