Australia plans social media ban for under-16s

There will be no exemptions on the age limit for children who have consent from their parents, and the government says that the onus will be on social media platforms to show they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.

Albanese also clarified that there will be no penalties for users, and that it would be up to Australia’s online regulator – the eSafety Commissioner – to enforce the laws.

The legislation would come into force 12 months after it passes and be subject to a review after it’s in place.

Some experts have criticised social media bans as ineffective, saying that they only delay young people’s exposure to social media, instead of teaching them how to navigate complex online spaces.

Previous attempts to enforce bans, including by the European Union, have largely failed or found the implementation challenging given that there are tools which can circumvent age-verification requirements.