Australia Moves to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16 in Groundbreaking Legislation

Australia is set to impose one of the strictest social media bans globally, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced legislation targeting children under the age of 16. Citing concerns over mental health risks and exposure to harmful content, Albanese declared, “Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it.” The measures are designed to shield young Australians from dangerous influences, including harmful body image portrayals affecting girls and misogynistic content impacting boys.

A unique aspect of this policy is the use of age-verification methods, such as biometrics and government identification, to prevent underage access. Unlike existing policies worldwide, Australia’s proposal enforces a strict age cut-off, eliminating the possibility of parental consent or exemptions for pre-existing accounts. The legislation is expected to pass in Parliament this year and become effective within 12 months of ratification, with bipartisan support from the opposition Liberal Party.

Social media giants like Meta’s Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) will be required to demonstrate compliance or face penalties. Australia’s Communications Minister Michelle Rowland described the move as “world-leading,” ensuring responsibility rests on social media platforms rather than parents.

The Digital Industry Group, representing major platforms, argued that the ban may push teens toward unregulated parts of the internet. Instead, they proposed creating “age-appropriate spaces” and building digital literacy. However, with growing global interest in protecting children from online risks, Australia’s initiative may set a new international precedent for digital safety.