Australia Bans Social Media Until Age 16

Canberra, Australia —(Map)

Australia has passed a law that aims to prevent people younger than 16 from using social media.  The law is meant to protect young people, but some people say it could create more problems than it solves. The law will go into effect in a year. Starting in January, Australia will test ways to carry out the law.

Under the new law, social media companies like Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok must take “reasonable steps” to prevent anyone under 16 from creating an account. If the companies do not follow the law, they could be fined up to US $32 million. The law doesn’t affect all social media. YouTube is not included because it’s often used in schools.

Last Thursday, Australia’s senate passed the Social Media Minimum Age bill, 34 votes to 19. Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, strongly supports the new law. He says it may not be perfect, but that it is needed to protect young people from the negative effects of social media.

Most people in Australia seem to agree. Recent polls show that 77% of people in Australia are in favor of the law. People are worried about how social media can hurt young people’s mental health. Many people have heard stories about young people who have been bullied online and later hurt themselves.

But not everyone agrees that the new law is a good idea. Some people believe the law will make it harder for young people to connect with others who can support them. Others worry that the social media ban will push young people toward less safe parts of the internet.

Australia’s senate passed the Social Media Minimum Age bill last Thursday. Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, shown above, strongly supports the new law. He says it may not be perfect, but that it is needed to protect young people from the negative effects of social media.

One of the biggest concerns is how the social media companies will figure out how old their users are. The law says the companies must give people a way to prove their age without sending in a government ID, but it’s not clear how this might work. The demand that the companies collect even more information raises worries about the privacy of young people.

Critics say that the government rushed to make the new law, and that it hasn’t been thought out well. The government will take the next 12 months to decide on many of the specific rules of the new law and how they will work.

Social media companies have criticized the law. They believe the government should have figured out how the law would work before passing it. Still, most companies say they will try to follow the rules.

Critics say that the government rushed to make the new law, and that it hasn’t been thought out well. The government will take the next 12 months to decide on many of the specific rules of the new law and how they will work. The new law could affect young people like the students in Melbourne shown above.

Around the world, there are serious concerns about the effects of social media on young people. In 2023, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that social media should come with a health warning.

Other countries have also taken steps to limit social media use by young people. In France, people under 15 cannot use social media without permission from a parent. Countries like the UK and Norway are considering similar laws. Some US states have passed laws limiting social media for young people, though these laws have been challenged in court.