2 weeks Ago By Jessica Wang
All six Australian states and two territories have endorsed the Albanese government’s plan to ban social media for children under the age of 16 following a national cabinet meeting convened on Friday. During the meeting with state and territory leaders, Anthony Albanese said he wanted all jurisdictions to have uniform rules to give parents clarity. The government has aimed to pass the legislation by the end of the year, with the Coalition also supporting the measures.
“Social media is doing social harm to our young Australians and I am calling time on it,” the Prime Minister said in a joint press conference with Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. “The safety and mental health of our young people has to be a priority, and my government will do all that we can to protect our young Australians but also to provide support for parents and teachers who are dealing with these issues.” He added that while Tasmania “would have preferred the age of 14”, the state “didn’t want to stand in the way of national uniformity”.
Ms Rowland said the proposed legislation will contain “strong privacy protections,” which would be informed by the government’s age assurance trial. While the government has said some platforms could be exempt from the ban if they are found to be “child-friendly,” however she confirmed TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram would be included. She said a possible platform exemption could be YouTube Kids.
“The exemptions framework operates on the basis ...
that we need to make sure that young people still have access to educational to health needs, noting that a number of mental health services, for example, actually operate like platforms,” she said. Social media companies will be tasked with enforcing the age ban, with the laws slated to come into effect 12 months after the legislation passes parliament. The government has also confirmed children and parents won’t be subjected to penalties if they flout the ban.
Social media giants will also be subject to “significant penalties” if they breach the provisions, and the Bill will also have a two-year provision to review the legislation. More to come.
