Australia will ban children under 16 from using social media after its parliament approved a world-first law banning social media for children.
The ban is expected to apply to Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X. Under the new law, tech companies must take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage users from accessing social media services or face fines of nearly 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million).
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law supported parents concerned by online harms to their children. “Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them,” Albanese told reporters.
The law puts the onus on social media platforms to take steps to prevent anyone under 16 from having an account. Underage users or their parents will not face punishment for violations. “We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act,” Albanese said in a statement.
PM Albanese had previously told parliament there was no time to waste. “We know that social media can be a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers. And worst of all, a tool for online predators,” he said.
Rushed process?
The government has faced significant criticism over the rushed pace of the legislation. Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic called it a “pivotal moment,” stating, “We’ve drawn a line in the sand. Big tech’s power can no longer go unchecked in Australia.”
However, it faced strong opposition from independents and smaller parties, including Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who accused the major parties of misleading Australian parents. “This is a disaster unfolding,” she said. “The prime minister says he’s worried about social media. The leader of the opposition says, ‘Let’s ban it’.” T
he committee report highlighted over 100 submissions, with most expressing concerns that the bill was not given enough time for proper scrutiny.
Tech companies Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok expressed support for the government’s goal of making social media safer for young users but criticized the law as “rushed.”
“The task now turns to ensuring there is productive consultation on all rules associated with the Bill to ensure a technically feasible outcome that does not place an onerous burden on parents and teens and a commitment that rules will be consistently applied across all social apps used by teens,” a Meta spokesperson said.
Snap Inc., whose Snapchat app is popular with children, raised concerns about unresolved issues regarding the law’s implementation and recommended “device-level age verification” to simplify the process.
X, owned by Elon Musk, noted that the platform is “not widely used by minors” but expressed concerns over the law’s potential impact on freedom of expression.
Other countries make efforts to protect kids online
Countries are exploring various ways to protect children online. In Europe, parents have organized to delay smartphone access for children under 12 or 13, while in the U.S., groups like Wait Until 8th encourage delaying social media use.
Last year, France passed a law requiring parental consent for social media users under 15 and has been pushing for similar measures across the European Union.
This fall, Norway proposed a social media ban for kids under 15, and France is testing a smartphone ban in select schools. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety, but the last federal law protecting kids was passed in 1998. The Kids Online Safety Act, passed by the Senate in July, has stalled in the House.
Several U.S. states, including Utah, have passed age verification laws, but these are tied up in court. In May, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy highlighted a lack of evidence on social media’s safety for kids and compared it to other child safety products, urging stronger regulations.
“Parents cannot bear the entire responsibility for keeping kids safe online,” said Scelfo. “The problems are baked into the design of the products.”