3 weeks ago
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Australia's House of Representatives has passed a bill to ban children under 16 from using social media platforms, potentially making it the first law of its kind on a global level. The bill, which received strong support from major political parties, now moves to the Senate for final approval, as reported by the Associated Press.
The bill, which passed with 102 votes in favour and 13 against, holds platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram responsible for allowing young children to create accounts. If the bill becomes law, these platforms could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (around $33 million) for not stopping children under 16 from registering.
Once approved, the law would give platforms a year to set up age restrictions before penalties are enforced. During the debate, opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan highlighted that amendments in the Senate would strengthen privacy protections. He explained that platforms would not be allowed to force users to provide government-issued IDs, such as passports or driver’s licences, or demand digital identification through a government system.
Critics have raised concerns about privacy risks, isolating children, and removing parental control over their children's social media use. Some warn that the ban could push children toward the dark web and make it harder for them to report online harms.
While most major parties support the bill, it has faced criticism from some independent lawmakers. Zoe Daniel, a lawmaker, argued that the law wouldn't address the real dangers of social media. "The true aim of this legislation is not to make social media safer, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” she said. She also noted that no other country had proposed such a strict measure.
Despite these concerns, communications minister Michelle Rowland is confident the bill will pass in the Senate, where it faces less opposition. Melbourne resident Wayne Holdsworth, whose 17-year-old son died after being targeted in an online sextortion scam, strongly supports the bill. He called it "absolutely essential for the safety of our children," adding, "It’s not the only thing that we need to do to protect them, but it’s a great step."
Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese said, "The Bill on setting a new minimum age of 16 for using social media is also setting a new community standard. It's all about supporting parents. It's about making sure children have a childhood and parents have peace of mind. And it's about this parliament working together, to lock this change in. Because we are making it clear that social media companies have a social responsibility. And sending a message to all those Mums and Dads who are worried about the impact that social media is having on their children's wellbeing, their mental health, their confidence and sense of self."
"That message is simple: we are on your side, we've got your back. I want young Australians to grow up happy, active and safe," he added.
