Australia is the first country to ban children from social media platforms.

 

Social media

Australia is the first country to ban children from social media platforms.

Australia has become the first country to ban children under the age of 16 from social media, effective midnight.
Ten of the largest platforms have been ordered to ban children from midnight Wednesday (1300 GMT Tuesday) or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million) under the new law.

Major technology companies and free speech advocates criticized the law, while parents and children's rights advocates welcomed it.
Other countries are closely monitoring the ban and considering similar measures amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on children's health and safety.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a video message that the aim of the ban was to support young Australians and alleviate the pressure they could face from endless streaming and algorithms.

The message, which Sky News Australia said would be shown in schools this week, added: “Make the most of the upcoming school holidays. Instead of spending them scrolling through your phone, start a new sport, learn a new musical instrument, read that book that’s been sitting on the shelf for ages.”
He added, "Most importantly, spend quality time with your friends and family face-to-face."

Australia could set a precedent

This measure ends a full year of speculation about whether any country could prevent children from using technology that has become part of modern life.
“Although Australia is the first to introduce such restrictions, it is unlikely to be the last,” said Tama Lever, professor of internet studies at Curtin University.
Governments from Denmark to Malaysia and even some US states, where trust and safety features in platforms are declining, say they intend to take similar steps.

This came after internal documents leaked four years ago from Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, revealing that the company knew its products contributed to body image problems among minors. Meta stated that it has tools in place to protect children.
The ban initially includes 10 platforms, but the government said the list will change as new products emerge and underage users switch to alternatives.

All ten platforms, except for Elon Musk's X, said they would commit to using age inference, which estimates a user's age from their online activity or by age estimation, typically based on a profile picture. The platforms may also verify uploaded identity documents or bank account details linked to profiles.
For social media companies, the enforcement of the law represents a new era of structural stagnation after studies showed that user numbers remained stable and the time spent on platforms decreased.