Australia Moves Closer to World-First Social Media Ban for Under-16s

Australia’s lower house of parliament has overwhelmingly passed a historic bill that would ban children under 16 from using social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X. The bill, championed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, includes fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million) for companies that fail to comply with the ban.

Albanese has called for stronger protection of young Australians from the harmful effects of social media, describing it as a platform for peer pressure, anxiety, scammers, and online predators. He emphasized his desire to see children engaged in outdoor sports instead of being glued to their phones.

While the bill has faced opposition from privacy advocates and some children’s rights groups, polling shows that 77% of the public supports the under-16s social media ban. Australian anti-bullying advocate Ali Halkic, whose son tragically took his life after being bullied on social media, praised the legislation, calling it a crucial step in giving parents more control over their children’s digital lives. However, he acknowledged that managing the ban for 10- to 15-year-olds will be challenging, while younger children may be less affected if they grow up without exposure to social media.