Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s comes into force

Sydney: Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s went into effect on Wednesday, with ten major companies, including Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and X, obliged to prohibit children from creating accounts.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a video message to students throughout Australia on Tuesday that the government has made the adjustment to help children who have grown up with algorithms, infinite social media feeds, and the pressure that comes with them.

He also encouraged students to make the most of the upcoming school holidays rather than spending all their time scrolling on their phones.

"Start a new sport, learn a new instrument, or read that book that has been sitting there on your shelf for some time," Albanese said.

"And importantly, spend quality time with your friends and your family. Face to face."

The Australian federal parliament passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 in November last year, requiring certain social media platforms to take "reasonable steps" to prevent children under 16 from having accounts, Xinhua news agency reported.

Platforms that fail to comply face fines worth up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (about $32.8 million). There are no penalties for under-16s who access an age-restricted social media platform, or for their parents or carers, IANS reported.

So far, 10 social media platforms have been instructed to enforce the ban -- Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick and Reddit. Authorities may update the list as needed.

A recent poll shows broad public backing for a social media ban, with 73 per cent of Australians supportive. Yet, only 26 per cent express confidence that the measure will work, and 68 per cent believe children will get around it.

Support is highest among teachers (84 per cent) and parents (75 per cent), but drops to 62 per cent among those aged 16 to 24, according to the poll released in early December by Pureprofile, an Australia-based global data, insights and digital media company.

Despite agreeing to comply, most of the social media platforms oppose the measure, arguing that the ban is difficult to implement and could drive young people into dark corners of the internet.

Global online forum Reddit said on Tuesday that it would comply with the law, but disagrees about its "scope, effectiveness, and privacy implications."

Australia's teen social media ban has drawn international interest, with countries including Denmark, Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia and New Zealand reportedly considering similar measures.