Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Sept. 10 that the Australian government plans on setting a minimum age limit on social media. Albanese did not state at which age children would be allowed on social media but mentioned the current plan would most likely allow kids starting at age 14. The law is set to be in effect starting next year.
The ban follows a parliamentary inquiry containing dozens of new reports claiming that social media is extremely detrimental to the mental and physical health of children.
“I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields and the swimming pools and the tennis courts,” Albanese stated. “We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know that social media is causing social harm.”
If the law passes, Australia would be among the first countries in the world to impose an age restriction on social media. Previous attempts, including by the European Union, have failed following complaints about reducing the online rights of minors.
The inquiry into the effects of social media states that social media can have a negative impact on a teenager’s mental health; however, it also expressed concern that an age minimum requirement would be nearly impossible to enforce. It also noted that banning social media for minors could cause more harm than good, by inadvertently encouraging younger people to hide their online activity.
Australia’s own internet regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, warned in a June submission to the inquiry that “restriction-based approaches may limit young people’s access to critical support” and push them to “less regulated non-mainstream services.”
As of right now, there is no solid plan for exactly how Australia is going to enforce a social media ban for minors.
