Australia is moving towards setting a minimum age requirement for children using social media, with concerns about the potential harm to their mental and physical well-being driving the proposal. However, the plan has sparked criticism from digital rights advocates, who warn that such restrictions could push risky online behavior into less visible, unregulated spaces.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his government would conduct an age verification trial before rolling out official age limit laws later this year. While he did not specify the exact age, Albanese indicated that the minimum would likely fall between 14 and 16.
“I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields and the swimming pools and the tennis courts,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know that social media is causing social harm,” he added.
Australia is set to become one of the first nations globally to implement an age limit for social media use, aiming to protect children’s mental and physical health. This move follows the failure of similar efforts, such as in the European Union, which were blocked due to concerns about restricting minors’ online rights.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced the plan amid a parliamentary inquiry into the societal effects of social media, which has revealed troubling testimony about its impact on teenagers’ mental well-being. Although major social media platforms like Meta, Alphabet (YouTube), and TikTok, which already enforce a minimum age of 13, have yet to comment on the proposed law.
With over 80% of Australia’s 26 million population active on social media, the country is among the most connected in the world. Albanese’s announcement adds weight to the growing debate about balancing online freedom with safeguarding younger users.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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