Australia has officially passed a landmark bill, banning people under 16 from using social networking platforms such as Facebook, TikTok,...
On November 28, Australian lawmakers passed a law banning people under 16 from using social media. This is the first country in the world to issue such a ban.
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| Australia is the first country to ban people under 16 from using social networks. |
Social media companies like Meta and TikTok will have to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from registering for accounts. Failure to do so could result in fines of up to AU$50 million ($32.5 million).
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said “platforms have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our children is their priority”.
Earlier this month, when announcing details of the ban, Mr Albanese referred to the risks of excessive social media use on children's physical and mental health.
Other countries such as France and some US states have passed laws restricting children from accessing social media without parental permission, but the ban in Australia is absolute.
A TikTok spokesperson called Australia's ban "hasty" and risked pushing children into darker corners of the internet without community guidance or safety tools.
However, Prime Minister Albanese has insisted that he is “sending a clear message”. While it may not be perfect, similar to the ban on under-18s, it is “the right thing to do and the right thing to do”.
According to Fortune, Australia has not provided details on how the ban will be implemented. It will take at least 12 months for authorities to complete the work and for the ban to take effect.
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