Australia wants to ban social media for under-16s

Australia plans to ban social media for under 16s — and experts have called it a ‘momentous step’
Australia's government has proposed a social media ban for children under the age of 16 which experts have described as a "momentous step," as parents globally call for greater regulation of tech companies.
Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic
The Australian government's plan to ban children from social media to protect them from harm has won almost universal political support.
The questions that still need to be answered about Australia's social media ban
One of the biggest outstanding questions is how social media companies will check who is over 16 years old. The Australian government announced on Friday it had awarded a contract to a UK-based organisation to trial different age-verification technologies that could be used to enforce a social-media ban.
Correction: Australia-Social Media story
In a story published Nov. 15, 2024, about Australia’s plan to ban children from social media use, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the eSafety Commissioner
Australia wants to ban kids under 16 from social media as world governments seek to crack down on the 'addictive' apps
Australia announced plans to ban children under 16 from accessing social media in an effort to curb addiction and protect mental health.
Australia wants to ban social media for under-16s, but it won't work
Attempts to prevent Australian children from accessing social media are likely to fail, and could do more harm than good
Why Australia’s social media ban for kids under 16 could change parenting worldwide
Australia’s proposed social media ban for kids under 16 could reshape digital parenting worldwide. Learn how this new law prioritizes mental health, safety, and responsible online use, and why U.S. parents are taking notice.
Opinion
Opinion: Online games should not be included in Australia's social media ban—they are crucial for kids' social lives
The Australian government has announced a plan to ban children under the age of 16 from social media. With bipartisan support, it's likely to be passed by the end of the year.
Social media ban for teenagers under consideration – Peter Kyle
The Technology Secretary is setting out Ofcom’s social media priorities as powers from the Online Safety Act come into force.
Most Australians favor banning kids from social media sites. But will it work?
While the planned social media ban has broad support, more than 140 technology and child welfare experts signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling it “too blunt an instrument” to be effective.
Opposition calling for immediate social media ban for children under 16
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton claims the Albanese Labor government has been too slow in enforcing a social media ban for children under the age of 16.
Australia plans "world-leading" social media ban for children under 16
"Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it ... parental consent and age verification should ...
Australia will require social media platforms to act to prevent online harm to users
Australia plans to require social media platforms to act to prevent online harms to users such as bullying, predatory ...
kcra.com12d
Australia plans a social media ban for children under 16
She said 73% of young people across Australia accessing mental health support did so through social media. "We're ...