In a landmark decision, Australia has approved a social media ban for children under the age of 16, following an emotive debate that has captivated the nation. The new law passed on Thursday, sets a global benchmark with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech companies.
The Social Media Minimum Age bill mandates that tech giants, including Meta (owner of Instagram and Facebook) and TikTok, prevent minors from logging in or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million). A trial of enforcement methods will commence in January, with the ban set to take full effect in a year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is preparing for an election in 2025 amid declining opinion polls, hailed the passage of the law as a significant political victory. “This legislation is a crucial step in protecting our children from the harmful effects of social media,” Albanese stated during the parliamentary session.
Australia’s move positions it as a test case for other governments considering similar age restrictions on social media due to concerns about its impact on young people’s mental health. While countries like France and some U.S. states have enacted laws requiring parental permission for minors to access social media, Australia’s ban is absolute. A similar ban for under-14s in Florida is currently being challenged in court on free speech grounds.
The bill’s passage followed a marathon final day of Australia’s parliamentary year and was supported by 77% of the population, according to recent polls. The legislation faced opposition from privacy advocates and some child rights groups, but domestic media, led by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, backed the ban with a campaign titled “Let Them Be Kids.”
The ban has sparked concerns about its potential impact on Australia’s relationship with the United States. Elon Musk, owner of X and a key figure in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, criticized the law, suggesting it could be a “backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians.”
A spokesperson for Meta expressed respect for Australian law but voiced concerns about the rushed legislative process. “The task now turns to ensuring there is productive consultation on all rules associated with the Bill to ensure a technically feasible outcome that does not place an onerous burden on parents and teens,” the spokesperson said.
Sunita Bose, managing director of Digital Industry Group, which represents most social media companies, echoed these concerns. “We have the bill but we don’t have guidance from the Australian government around what are the right methods that a whole host of services subject to this law will need to employ,” Bose told Reuters.
Youth advocacy groups and academics have warned that the ban could isolate vulnerable young people, including LGBTQIA and migrant teenagers, from essential support networks. The Australian Human Rights Commission also raised concerns that the law might infringe on young people’s rights to participate in society.
Privacy advocates cautioned that the law could lead to increased collection of personal data, paving the way for state surveillance. A last-minute amendment to the bill requires platforms to offer alternatives to uploading identification documents.
Parent groups have been vocal in their support for the ban, citing comments from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who in 2023 highlighted the detrimental effects of social media on youth mental health. “Putting an age limit and giving the control back to the parents, I think it’s a starting point,” said Ali Halkic, an anti-bullying advocate whose son Allem took his life in 2009 following social media bullying.
However, some young people, like 16-year-old Sydney student Enie Lam, argue that the ban may drive youth to more dangerous parts of the internet. “It will only create a generation of young people who will be more technologically literate in bypassing these walls,” Lam told Reuters.
