Social Media Ban : Australia has decided to social media ban for children under the age of 16 after seeing the impact the internet is having on the hearts and minds of children. The Australian government has announced the world’s first law in this regard, under which the age limit for children to start using social media will be set at 16 years. Social media platforms shall be responsible and liable for ensuring compliance with this Act.
Social Media Ban
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that – Social media is harming our children and I demand it be banned. The legislation will be introduced in the last two weeks of the Parliament session beginning November 18.
Companies will be responsible
Albanese said the age limit for social media use will go into effect 12 months after the law is passed. Platforms such as X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook must determine how to keep Australian children under 16 off these platforms.
Albanese said, “I’ve talked to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Like me, they are deeply concerned about our children’s safety online. Social media platforms have a responsibility to show that they will not be on them. Parents or Adequate steps should be taken to prevent entry of youth.”
You can read more.
- Haryana Police arrested a young man from Patna for doing this to impress his fiancée
- US Election 2024: is the US finally about to elect its first female president?
Albanese said exemptions would be made in situations such as the need to continue access to education. But parental consent will not give a child under 16 the right to access social media.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the one-year extension was to ensure the age limit would be enforced very realistically. Rowland said penalties must be increased to ensure compliance. Every company operating in Australia, whether here or elsewhere, is expected to comply with Australian law or face consequences.
Australia’s main opposition party has expressed support in principle for a 16-year age limit. Opposition MP Paul Fletcher said every social media platform already had the technology to enforce such age restrictions.
Meanwhile, Antigone Davis, head of security at Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said her company would respect any age limit imposed by the government.
Advocating a total ban
More than 140 Australian and international academics with expertise in the fields of technology and child welfare sent an open letter to Prime Minister Albanese last month, opposing the age limit for social media use, saying it was “too blunt a solution.”
Topic: Social media banned for children!
