The Australian government has introduced a groundbreaking bill to Parliament proposing a minimum age of 16 for accessing social media platforms.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony said, “When it comes to protecting our kids we have to do more than wring our hands. We need to take action.”
The legislation, spearheaded by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, aims to shield young Australians from the harmful effects of unfiltered online content while easing parenting challenges in the digital age.
If passed, the law would require platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and Snapchat to prevent under-16s from creating accounts. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to AU$50 million. Messaging apps, online gaming, and educational platforms will remain exempt from the restrictions.
“This bill seeks to set a new normative value in society that accessing social media is not the defining feature of growing up in Australia,” Rowland told Parliament. The government highlights alarming research showing two-thirds of 14- to 17-year-olds have encountered harmful content, including violence, self-harm, and unsafe behaviours online.
Elon Musk has openly criticised Australia’s proposed social media age limit, suggesting it could lead to broader government control over internet access.
Musk’s comments follow an earlier clash with Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, over a violent video depicting the graphic stabbing of a religious leader in Sydney.
While other platforms complied with a removal order, Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) resisted, prompting legal action. Musk framed the dispute as a defence of free speech, while Albanese accused him of “arrogance” and prioritising profits over public decency.
The Commissioner ultimately discontinued the case but called for a review of her decision, underscoring the tension between regulating harmful content and preserving digital freedoms.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, tasked with implementing the rules, raised concerns about the evidence base linking social media to declining mental health. She advocates for improved digital literacy over outright bans, comparing it to “teaching children to swim rather than fencing off the ocean.”
With bipartisan support, the bill is expected to pass, and platforms will have 12 months to implement the changes. However, digital advocacy groups, academics, and youth-focused organisations worry it could isolate teens, push them toward riskier online spaces, and overlook the nuanced role social media plays in young lives.
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon and support honest and fearless journalism. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/TheAusToday
