Australia bans social media usage for children below 16

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday submitted a proposal to ban children younger than 16 years from using social media.

Albanese and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland pledged to legislate a minimum age limit of 16 years for social media access.

The prime minister had previously announced an intention to introduce legislation to parliament for the age limit before the end of 2024 but had not committed to a specific cut-off age.

He said that the legislation would take responsibility for enforcing the minimum age limit on social media platforms.

“Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it,” Albanese told reporters in Canberra.

“It’s something of enormous concern, and we know the social harm that can be caused, and we know the consequences here.”

Under the government’s plan, online platforms that fail to restrict access to children will face penalties.

Neither users under 16 who manage to access social media nor their parents or guardians will be penalized.

The ban will come into effect 12 months after the legislation passes parliament and will be enforced by the office of the government’s Safety Commissioner.

“This is world-leading legislation, and we want to make sure we’ve got it right.

” We think there will be some, of course, exclusions and exemptions as well for this, to make sure that there aren’t unintended consequences, but we think this is absolutely the right thing,” Albanese said.

Albanese said he would discuss the proposal with state and territory leaders at a special meeting on Friday.

The federal budget for 2024-25 included funding to trial potential age-assurance technology options.

Albanese and Rowland said that the results of the trial would inform how the new age limit is imposed.

The federal opposition Coalition earlier in 2024 announced it would support a minimum age limit of 16.

With the support of the Coalition, Albanese’s governing Labor Party would have the requisite votes to pass the legislation through both houses of parliament.

Risk of social media usage for children:

The emotional and psychological risks include cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and sleep disturbances.

Online safety risks comprise predator grooming, online harassment, phishing, scams, and exposure to inappropriate content.

Social risks involve social isolation, unrealistic expectations, peer pressure, and loss of empathy. Physical health risks include sedentary behavior, eye strain, vision problems, and sleep-deprivation-related health issues.

Long-term risks encompass digital footprint, reputation damage, and addiction.

Educational and cognitive risks include distraction, decreased productivity, misinformation, disinformation, and reduced attention span.

To mitigate these risks, parents and caregivers can set limits, monitor activities, educate children, encourage balanced screen time, foster open communication, and implement protection policies.

Policymakers can establish age restrictions, enforce online safety regulations, and promote digital literacy programs.

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