‘By banning social media for under 16, we’re giving children a childhood’: Australian PM Albanese

Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on December 10 that the social media ban for children under the age of 16 is now in place in Australia, making it the first country in the world to “give it a crack”.

Highlighting the challenges faced by both parents and children from the impact of social media, Albanese said it was a step towards peace of mind for parents and children, allowing them to experience childhood.

In a message, Australian PM Anthony Albanese said, “Across Australia, those under 16 are starting their day a little differently- without social media. It’s a big change and we’re the first country in the world to give it a crack. But it really matters.”

“Algorithms, endless feeds, and pressures no generation before has had to deal with. Today’s change is about supporting you to keep your children safe online. Putting the responsibility right where it belongs- on the social media giants, not on parents”, he said.

“By banning social media for those under 16, we’re giving children a childhood and parents more peace of mind”, the Australian PM added.

In another video message, he said, “This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and they are asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind.”

According to UNICEF Australia, as of December 10, “anyone under 16 in Australia won’t be able to keep or make accounts on social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and more.”

While the rule does not punish young people or their families, it places the onus on social media companies to prevent under-16s from creating accounts or risk serious fines (up to about $50 million).

The decision follows after the Australian Government passed a new law called the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 on November 28 last year.

The law introduces a mandatory minimum age of 16 for accounts on certain social media platforms and parents cannot give their consent to let under-16s use these platforms.

Citing the government, UNICEF Australia highlighted that the social media ban is needed to protect the mental health and well-being of Australian children and teens from the risks posed by social media, such as cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators, which outweigh the positives.

UNICEF Australia further noted that applications such as Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom and YouTube Kids are not expected to be a part of the ban. (With inputs from ANI)