Australia unveils landmark bill to prohibit social media for under-16s

Australia has taken a bold step in regulating online interactions, unveiling a groundbreaking bill to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. The legislation, which includes fines of up to A$50 million (approximately $32.5 million) for companies failing to comply, places the responsibility squarely on technology platforms rather than parents to enforce these restrictions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted the significance of the reform, stating, “We know social media is doing social harm. We want Australian children to have a childhood.” The bill aims to combat the negative effects of persistent notifications and alerts, which have been linked to stress, disrupted sleep, and reduced attention spans in children. By requiring platforms to demonstrate “reasonable steps” to prevent underage users from registering, the government hopes to set a precedent in global digital safety standards.

Central to enforcing the legislation is a trial of age verification technologies, including biometrics. This initiative also extends to restricting access to online pornography for users under 18. However, the bill acknowledges that complete compliance is unlikely, with Albanese admitting that some children might find ways to bypass restrictions.

Notably, the bill excludes platforms like YouTube, which is widely used in educational contexts and has existing child safety measures.