Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced what he said is a “world-leading” plan to implement a social media ban for all children under the age of 16. While many of the details of the proposed legislation have not yet been made clear, Australia’s Prime Minister Leader said at a press conference that the bill includes an age verification process where “the onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate that they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access to their platforms”.
Under the proposed legislation, social media companies could face significant fines if they allow younger children to access their platforms, but there would be no penalties for users or parents of users who ignore the law, the Australian government said in a statement.
“Social media is harming our children and I am making time for it,” Albanese said on Thursday. “I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They, like me, are deeply concerned about the safety of our children online, and I want Australian parents and families to know the government has your back.”
Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP
The government said the proposed legislation would not allow exemptions for children whose parents consent to the use of social media platforms. The bill will also not include “grandfathering schemes” that could exempt young people who already have a social account.
Australian Communications Minister Michelle Rowland told reporters that social media companies had been consulted on how to practically enforce such a ban, and she named Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X and YouTube as platforms likely to be affected by the legislation.
CBS News has asked all five social media companies for comment on the Australian government’s plans.
Last month, a coalition of more than 140 Australian and international experts signed an open letter to Albanians expressing their concerns about the proposed age limit.
“The online world is a place where children and young people access information, build social and technical skills, connect with family and friends, learn about the world around them and relax and play,” the letter said. “We are concerned that a ‘ban’ is too blunt an instrument to effectively address risks.”
In April, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators, including Republican Ted Cruz of Texas and Democrat Brian Schatz of Hawaii, introduced legislation that, among other provisions, would “prohibit children under the age of 13 from creating or maintaining social media accounts, in accordance with current legislation. practices of major social media companies,” and “Prohibit social media companies from recommending content using algorithms to users under the age of 17.”
A 2023 advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General’s office said there are mental health benefits for children and teens from reducing or eliminating social media exposure for more than a month.
Most social media companies have policies that ban children under the age of 13 from creating accounts, but a 2022 study conducted by British media regulator Ofcom found that nearly 80% of children in the country had socialized by age 12. media accounts.
