The Australian government will introduce proposed legislation to ban children under 16 from social media. Announcing the proposal, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law aims to reduce the harmful effects of social media on children.
Albanese said, “This legislation is for parents… I am just as concerned about our children’s online safety. Australian families need to trust that the government is with you.”
However, the government has said that the ban will not apply to children who are currently on social media. Also, children will not be given relaxation in this age limit even if they have parental permission. Social media companies are required to take all necessary steps to prevent access to children.
The government clarified that there will be no penalties for users and that the law will be enforced by Australia’s online regulator – the eSecurity Commissioner. The law will come into force 12 months after its approval and the review process will begin.
According to experts, social media platforms can negatively affect the mental health of teenagers. However, there are differences of opinion as to how effective the ban would be. Some experts believe that such restrictions only push teenagers forward rather than guide them in the digital realm.
Attempts at such bans in places like the European Union have failed or met with opposition from tech companies. Moreover, it is a question mark how the law will be enforced since there are also tools available to circumvent such age- verification process.
A major child rights advocacy group in Australia is opposing the proposed ban. In a letter co- signed by more than 100 academics and 20 civil society groups, the Australian Child Rights Taskforce called on the government to implement a “safety standard”. According to him, it is important to make national policies to ensure that children can benefit from digital media as advised by the UN.
However, some groups have supported the law and demanded a ban from the Australian government. The campaign, called 36 Months, has collected over 125,000 signatures and says it takes at least 16 years of age to teach children to behave appropriately in online social networks. Currently, he says, excessive use of social media is affecting children’s brain development, leading to a surge in mental illnesses.
When asked whether children should be guided about the benefits and risks of the online world, Albanese expressed a negative opinion. According to him, this education is not enough because the power of social media is too much.