Sydney, Nov. 7, (dpa/GNA) – The Australian government is taking steps towards restricting access to social media for children and teenagers, allowing it only for those aged 16 or older.
“I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
“And I want Australian parents and families to know that the government has your back,” he said. “I want parents to be able to say, ‘sorry mate, it’s against the law for me to get you to do this.'”
The proposed legislation is set to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Friday and brought to parliament later this month. However, it could take about a year before the new rules come into effect, Australian broadcaster ABC reported.
“This is world leading legislation – we want to make sure that it is got right,” said Albanese, who heads the centre-left Labour Party.
He had already announced the plans in September, describing the impact of online networks like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok on children as a “scourge.” He said he wants children to have a childhood:
“Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Albanese said.
The opposition also supports the initiative.
“The idea that social media products like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat could be made ‘safe’ for younger children is absurd,” said Liberal Party spokesman David Coleman at a social media summit in Adelaide last month.
Coleman advocated for “a clear age limit of 16 for social media access,” noting that the coalition had committed to that “back in June.”
How the measures would be implemented remains unclear. However, the responsibility to verify users’ minimum age is intended to fall on tech companies and internet platforms, not parents. According to the plans, there are no penalties for users.
GNA