Australia Passes Groundbreaking Legislation to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16
A country leading the way by passing its Social Media Minimum Age law. The law will prevent all children under 16 years of age from accessing such networks as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Australia passes the law to regulate tech giants on November 28, 2024. It has introduced fines amounting to as much as A$49.5 million (USD $32 million) for defaulting Big Tech into setting a precedent in worldwide Big Tech regulation aimed at combating youth mental health crises.
This prohibition, backed by 77% of Australians in recent polls, is among the world‘s toughest restrictions on tech companies. The law will be tested in trial to decide how it would be enforced, starting from January 2025. It will take effect in full in the following year.
Tackling a Rising Mental Health Epidemic
This legislation was passed by the Australian government based on mounting evidence of the dangers of social media to young people‘s mental health. A parliamentary inquiry conducted throughout 2024 heard shocking accounts from parents whose children had inflicted self-harm due to cyberbullying. The evidence was further supported by statements from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who in 2023 declared social media a significant contributor to the youth mental health crisis.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, up for re-election in 2025, had backed the law as a response to public concern and a way to “Let Them Be Kids,” a campaign supported by media giant Rupert Murdoch‘s News Corp.
While parent groups and anti-bullying advocates have welcomed the move, others have expressed their concern. Youth advocacy groups and academics warned that the ban might isolate vulnerable young people, including LGBTQIA+ and migrant teenagers, who rely on online networks for support. Privacy advocates also argued that enforcing age restrictions could lead to heightened data collection and potential misuse, raising fears of state surveillance.
To such criticism, the law was amended to prohibit the mandatory upload of identification documents on platforms with alternative verification processes.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young of the Greens labelled the law as a traditional approach and said, “This is boomers trying to tell young people how the internet should work to make themselves feel better.
Australia‘s move has implications beyond its borders.
The United States, where social media giants like Meta and TikTok are headquartered, expressed concerns about the ban‘s impact on internet freedom. Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), described it as a “backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians.”
The tech firms also have complained that the bill was moved too soon. Sunita Bose, the head of the Digital Industry Group, called for more clarity regarding the application of age verification.
Companies like Alphabet-owned YouTube are exempted as they use educational apps in schools, but others must decipher the jargon of compliance with the severe consequences that may occur.
Australia’s ban may inspire similar legislation worldwide. Countries such as France and some U.S. states already require parental consent for minors to access social media, but
Australia’s outright ban sets a new benchmark.
While the long-term implications for mental health of the new law are uncertain, anti-bullying campaigner Ali Halkic has applauded it as a step forward.
“Next generation coming up if they don‘t even know what social media is why is it important,“ he said.
While such significant measures face obstacles, Australia strengthens its position in a Big Tech regulatory leadership that continues to reconcile innovation with societal well-being
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