Australia's Bold Move to Ban Social Media for Under-16s

Australia's centre-left government has proposed a stringent bill to ban social media for children under 16, alongside hefty fines for platforms breaching the rules. The plan includes an age-verification system and aims to curb the risks of harmful online content, especially for minors.

In a significant legislative move, Australia's centre-left government has introduced a bill in parliament designed to restrict social media access for children under 16 years of age. This unprecedented reform also proposes severe penalties of up to A$49.5 million for platforms that fail to comply with the regulations.

The proposed legislation aims to implement stringent age-verification systems, possibly utilizing biometrics or government ID. These measures stand as some of the toughest controls globally, eliminating parental consent or exemptions for pre-existing accounts. The reform is geared towards platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the necessity of this reform, highlighting its potential to mitigate risks linked to excessive social media use, including mental health impacts and harmful content exposure. Despite the proposed ban, access to educational and health services online would remain, ensuring support for young users.

(With inputs from agencies.)