Australia Ban Social Media | Australian government took historic step for the children of this generation! Social media banned for children under 16 years of age

The Australian government on Thursday (November 28) passed a law to ban social media for children under 16 in a historic decision. According to the information released, this law was passed after an intense debate, and it obliges platforms such as Meta, the owner of Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, to prevent minors from accessing their services or otherwise expose them to A Faces fines of up to $49.5 million ($32 million).

The new social media minimum age bill will go through a test enforcement phase starting in January, after which it will be implemented in 2025. Notably, this legislation positions Australia as a leader in addressing the impact of social media on youth mental health. This will prove to be a test case for the growing number of governments that have planned or said they plan to impose age restrictions on social media. However, there has also been criticism of a complete ban.

 

While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, under whose government the bill was introduced, marked the passage of this legislation as a significant victory as it comes just months before the 2025 elections. However, opposition came from privacy advocates and some children’s rights groups, who criticized the lack of consideration of alternative methods.

Moreover, along with the opposition, there were several sections that approved the passage of the bill, as according to the latest surveys, 77% of the population wanted it. Additionally, domestic media, led by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, also played an important role in mobilizing public support for the law through the “Let Them Be Kids” campaign. The legislation follows a year-long parliamentary inquiry which heard testimony from parents of children affected by social media-related bullying and self-harm.

 

Meanwhile, following the bill’s passage, a Meta spokesperson, while expressing the company’s respect for Australian law, also raised concerns about the rushed legislative process, saying it would prevent the promotion of age-appropriate experiences. Failed to take into account existing measures. “We urge productive consultation to ensure viable implementation and consistent application across all platforms used by teens,” the spokesperson said.