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Children under the age of 16 will be banned from using social media under a government proposal that will be put before the states at a National Cabinet meeting on Friday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said legislating a ban will put the responsibility on social media platforms to restrict access to children, taking pressure off families. "Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I'm calling time on it," he said in Canberra on Thursday.
"This would be the number one discussion outside the school gate, on the sideline of tennis, cricket, football, netball, swimming, as parents gather. "It's something that is of enormous concern, and we know the social harm that can be caused, and we know the consequences here." 'We've already lost so much': The debate for and against a social media ban is unhelpful, experts say What do we know about the proposal? The office of the eSafety commissioner will provide oversight and enforcement for the ban, which will come into effect 12 months after the legislation passes parliament.
"I want parents to be able to say: 'Sorry, mate, that's against the law for me to get to you do this'," Albanese said. "I've spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online.
" The government is running an age assurance trial, which will inform us of how the ban is imposed. Parent groups seek blanket ban on child social media use Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says the onus of enforcement will be on the platforms. "There will need to be measures put in place to ensure that reasonable steps are being taken by the platforms to ensure that that age limit is complied with," she said.
"At arriving at this age, the government has taken a pragmatic approach. "What our approach does is helps to achieve a balance between minimising those harms that are caused by young people accessing social media, while still enabling connection and inclusion." The government will introduce privacy protections for information collected for age assurance purposes.
Rowland said Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X will be covered by the ban, and "YouTube would likely fall within that definition as well". "That goes to some of the issues also of exemption, like whether it is done in a logged-out state." She said the eSafety commissioner would be able to determine what platforms or activities are low-risk and could be exempt from the ban.
With additional reporting by AAP..
