The Australian government has proposed a bill establishing a minimum age requirement for children to access social media, citing concerns over mental and physical health.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his government would conduct an age verification trial before implementing the new legislation.
“I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields, swimming pools, and 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 enacted, this law would join Australia with other countries that have imposed age restrictions on social media use.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner pointed out in June that “restriction-based approaches may limit young people’s access to critical support” and could drive them to “less regulated non-mainstream services.”
**‘GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO STEP IN’**
The proposal aligns with South Australia’s initiative to restrict social media access to individuals aged 14 and older. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas expressed that this measure is driven by worries about social media damaging young people’s mental health, leaving parents feeling “almost powerless.”
“The government is now going to step in. We’re going to ban kids from accessing these accounts,” he affirmed. “We will prohibit social media services from allowing access in the first place, and those that do so knowingly will face severe penalties, including heavy financial fines, which will serve as a strong deterrent.”
Malinauskas emphasized that the proposed regulation imposes a “positive obligation and duty” on social media companies to ensure that children under 14 cannot access these platforms.
“This obligation extends beyond preventing individual children from accessing the platforms; it establishes a systemic responsibility for social media companies to take all reasonable measures to prevent children from gaining access,” he continued.
If the legislation is passed, social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat will be required to implement “all reasonable steps” to block access for any child under 14 in South Australia. They must also ensure that teens aged 14 to 15 can only use platforms with parental content filters.
Compliance with these bans and access limitations will be overseen by a state regulator, which will monitor adherence and impose sanctions, including warnings, infringement notices, fines, and court proceedings that could result in corrective orders or civil penalties.
Legal action could also be initiated against providers by a regulator or parents on behalf of children who have experienced significant mental or physical harm.
The proposed ban would also include “exemptions” for beneficial or low-risk social media services, such as educational platforms.
