Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Thursday, November 7, 2024, that the government is planning to introduce “world-leading” legislation regarding social media bans for teenagers.
According to CNN, Australia will introduce a government policy that will ban social media for children under 16.
Albanese told a news conference, “Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it. This one is for the moms and dads... They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online. I want Australian families to know that the government has your back.”
As per the prime minister, the legislation will be presented in the parliament this year, and the laws are expected to come into effect 12 months after the approval of lawmakers.
He further added, “The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus won’t be on parents or young people.”
The objective of the legislation is to protect Australian children from the “harm” of social media.
Moreover, while most experts believe that social media platforms are affecting the mental health of children, others argue that the ban will delay the exposure of children to Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram but would attract them to a complex and negative online space.
