Advertising
News4Social English
  • News
    • National
    • Education
    • Review
    • Space
    • Environment
  • Health Trends
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Sports
  • World
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • National
    • Education
    • Review
    • Space
    • Environment
  • Health Trends
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Sports
  • World
No Result
View All Result
News4Social English
No Result
View All Result
Advertising
Home World

When should kids start using social media? Australia's government proposes age limit of 16

November 7, 2024
in World
Reading Time: 2 mins read
When should kids start using social media? Australia's government proposes age limit of 16
296
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on TwitterShare on Telegram

Advertising

When should kids start using social media? Australia's government proposes age limit of 16

Advertising

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian government announced on Thursday what it described as world-leading legislation that would institute an age limit of 16 years for children to start using social media, and hold platforms responsible for ensuring compliance.

Advertising

“Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

RelatedPosts

The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal

The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal

May 16, 2025
Trump's stance against South Africa is not just about white farmers. It's also about Hamas and Iran

Trump's stance against South Africa is not just about white farmers. It's also about Hamas and Iran

May 16, 2025

The legislation will be introduced in Parliament during its final two weeks in session this year, which begin on Nov. 18. The age limit would take effect 12 months after the law is passed, Albanese told reporters.

Advertising

The platforms including X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook would need to use that year to work out how to exclude Australian children younger than 16.

“I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online,” Albanese said.

The proposal comes as governments around the world are wrestling with how to supervise young people’s use of technologies like smartphones and social media.

Social media platforms would be penalized for breaching the age limit, but under-age children and their parents would not.

“The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus won’t be on parents or young people,” Albanese said.

Antigone Davis, head of safety at Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company would respect any age limitations the government wants to introduce.

“However, what’s missing is a deeper discussion on how we implement protections, otherwise we risk making ourselves feel better, like we have taken action, but teens and parents will not find themselves in a better place,” Davis said in a statement.

She added that stronger tools in app stores and operating systems for parents to control what apps their children can use would be a “simple and effective solution.”

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. TikTok declined to comment.

The Digital Industry Group Inc., an advocate for the digital industry in Australia, described the age limit as a “20th Century response to 21st Century challenges.”

“Rather than blocking access through bans, we need to take a balanced approach to create age-appropriate spaces, build digital literacy and protect young people from online harm,” DIGI managing director Sunita Bose said in a statement.

More than 140 Australian and international academics with expertise in fields related to technology and child welfare signed an open letter to Albanese last month opposing a social media age limit as “too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.”

Jackie Hallan, a director at the youth mental health service ReachOut, opposed the ban. She said 73% of young people across Australia accessing mental health support did so through social media.

“We’re uncomfortable with the ban. We think young people are likely to circumvent a ban and our concern is that it really drives the behavior underground and then if things go wrong, young people are less likely to get support from parents and carers because they’re worried about getting in trouble,” Hallan said.

Child psychologist Philip Tam said a minimum age of 12 or 13 would have been more enforceable.

“My real fear honestly is that the problem of social media will simply be driven underground,” Tam said.

Australian National University lawyer Associate Prof. Faith Gordon feared separating children from there platforms could create pressures within families.

Albanese said there would be exclusions and exemptions in circumstances such as a need to continue access to educational services.

But parental consent would not entitle a child under 16 to access social media.

Earlier this year, the government began a trial of age-restriciton technologies. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, the online watchdog that will police compliance, will use the results of that trial to provide platforms with guidance on what reasonable steps they can take.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the year-long lead-in would ensure the age limit could be implemented in a “very practical way.”

“There does need to be enhanced penalties to ensure compliance,” Rowland said.

“Every company that operates in Australia, whether domiciled here or otherwise, is expected and must comply with Australian law or face the consequences,” she added.

Check More Latest Sports News Click Here– Latest Sports

Check More Latest News in World Click Here– Latest World

Related Posts

The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal
World

The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal

May 16, 2025
Trump's stance against South Africa is not just about white farmers. It's also about Hamas and Iran
World

Trump's stance against South Africa is not just about white farmers. It's also about Hamas and Iran

May 16, 2025
Britain says it's talking with some countries to set up migrant return hubs
World

Britain says it's talking with some countries to set up migrant return hubs

May 15, 2025
North Macedonia’s path toward full EU membership stalled by impasse with Bulgaria
World

North Macedonia’s path toward full EU membership stalled by impasse with Bulgaria

May 15, 2025
New US ambassador, former senator and executive David Perdue, arrives in China
World

New US ambassador, former senator and executive David Perdue, arrives in China

May 15, 2025
Argentina orders immigration crackdown with new decree to 'make Argentina great again'
World

Argentina orders immigration crackdown with new decree to 'make Argentina great again'

May 15, 2025
Beauty influencer shot dead during her TikTok livestream at a beauty salon in Mexico
World

Beauty influencer shot dead during her TikTok livestream at a beauty salon in Mexico

May 15, 2025
Brazil slaughterhouses reduce ties to Amazon deforestation, but cattle laundering remains issue
World

Brazil slaughterhouses reduce ties to Amazon deforestation, but cattle laundering remains issue

May 15, 2025
Mourners from all across Uruguay bid farewell to iconic former President José Mujica
World

Mourners from all across Uruguay bid farewell to iconic former President José Mujica

May 14, 2025
Brazil's Lula pledges to urge Putin 'go to Istanbul and negotiate' with Zelenskyy
World

Brazil's Lula pledges to urge Putin 'go to Istanbul and negotiate' with Zelenskyy

May 14, 2025

We bring you the best Premium WordPress Themes that perfect for news, magazine, personal blog, etc.

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal
  • Trump's stance against South Africa is not just about white farmers. It's also about Hamas and Iran
  • Design Thinking

Category

  • Brand Stories
  • Business
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Culture
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Health Trends
  • Latest News
  • Lifestyle
  • National
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Review
  • Science
  • Space
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • World

Recent News

The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal

The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal

May 16, 2025
Trump's stance against South Africa is not just about white farmers. It's also about Hamas and Iran

Trump's stance against South Africa is not just about white farmers. It's also about Hamas and Iran

May 16, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Science
  • Environment
  • Education
  • Guest Post on News 4 Social

© 2025 News4Social - All Rights Reserved. Guild King Pvt. Ltd. News4Social.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Business
  • National
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Opinion
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Entertainment

© 2025 News4Social - All Rights Reserved. Guild King Pvt. Ltd. News4Social.

Advertising