Australia wants a total social media ban for teens under 16, targeting even YouTube

Australia is moving forward with a hard-line policy to ban social media access for children under 16, a move Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described as “world-leading”. The government is testing an age-verification system to block young users, with the ban possibly taking effect by the end of next year.Albanese highlighted the dangers that social media poses to children, especially in terms of mental and physical health, Reuters reports. He pointed to harmful content, including body image issues that disproportionately affect girls and misogynistic content targeted at boys.

He expressed concern for children navigating these challenges during a formative period of life, emphasizing that the government is “listening” and “acting” to address these issues.

The proposed legislation is expected to be introduced in parliament later this year, with the new laws going into effect 12 months after their approval. The opposition Liberal Party has signaled support for the measure, ensuring broad political backing.

The ban would apply universally, with no exceptions, even for children with parental consent or those who already have accounts.

Prime Minister Albanese clarified that the responsibility to enforce the age restriction would rest on social media platforms, requiring them to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access by children under 16. He emphasized that this responsibility would not fall on parents or young users.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland specified that the legislation would target platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X, formerly known as Twitter, and would likely include YouTube as well.

Australia joins a growing list of countries aiming to regulate social media use among young people. France proposed a ban for children under 15 last year, though it allowed access with parental consent. The United States has long required parental consent for companies to collect data from children under 13, effectively banning younger users from most social media.

Australia’s policy, however, is one of the strictest to date, signaling a bold approach to child safety in the digital age.

Mere hours ago, we told you about Canada’s approach to TikTok. Canada tries to shut down TikTok not just for kids, but for everybody.

Canada has ordered TikTok to shut down its operations in the country due to alleged national security risks linked to the company and its parent company, ByteDance. Though TikTok has not been officially banned, it must wind down its Canadian business based on recommendations from Canada’s security and intelligence agencies. Canada had previously banned TikTok on government devices.

In response, TikTok plans to challenge the decision, arguing that closing its Canadian offices would harm local jobs. The move comes amid increased scrutiny on TikTok in the U.S., where it faces lawsuits alleging negative impacts on young users’ mental health. Additionally, seven French families are suing TikTok over claims it has harmed their children’s physical and mental well-being. Other platforms, like Instagram, are also under scrutiny for their effects on teens’ mental health.