Australia raises the minimum age for social media use to 16 years
Facebook and Instagram owner Meta has responded after historic new laws were passed to ensure Australians under 16 are banned from their platforms.
National
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Social media giants will face $50 million fines for failing to take “reasonable” steps to ensure Australians under the age of 16 are not on their platforms under historic new laws that put “kids ahead of profits”.
The federal government’s bill to raise the minimum age for accessing platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat in Australia passed the Senate overnight and will become law after the lower house rubber stamps the final proposal early Friday morning.
Facebook and Instagram owner Meta says it will “respect” the new laws, despite complaining about the parliament process and immediately attempting to avoid its new responsibilities.
In a statement released on Friday after the social media bill was rubber stamped by the lower house and now on its way to come into effect in 2026, a Meta spokesperson suggested the government shift enforcement responsibility onto app stores despite the new laws clearly putting onus on the social media platforms themselves.
“Naturally, we respect the laws decided by the Australian Parliament,” the spokesperson said.
“However, we are concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people.”
The Meta spokesperson said the task “now turns to ensuring there is productive consultation on all rules associated with the Bill to ensure a technically feasible outcome that does not place an onerous burden on parents and teens and a commitment that rules will be consistently applied across all social apps used by teens”.
“One simple option is age verification at the operating system and app store level which reduces the burden and minimises the amount of sensitive information shared,” they said.
Anthony Albanese said social media was harming children and this world-leading action would ensure social media companies meet their social responsibility.
The Prime Minister said the legislation would result in better outcomes and less harm for young Australians.
“We’ve got your back, is our message to Australian parents,” Mr Albanese said.
“Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them.”
Mr Albanese rejected assertions that the decision to pass legislation first, before working with social media companies on how to implement the ban on teens under 16 over the next 12 months, was done the “wrong way around”.
Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman welcomed the passing of legislation to introduce an age limit of 16 on social media platforms.
“In no other generation have children been exposed to so much damaging material at such a young age,” Mr Coleman said.
“Some kids will get around the system, just like people get around speeding or underage drinking laws.
“But this new law will make a real difference for Australian families.”
The legislation comes after News Corp’s Let Them Be Kids campaign launched in May calling on politicians to back raising the minimum age of social media to 16 based on the advice of health, wellbeing, tech and psychology experts.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said he was glad the Coalition had “led the way” on the issue, having pledged to raise the minimum age of social media in June this year.
“I also pay tribute to News Corp’s Let Them Be Kids campaign for getting this discussion going and seeing it through,” he said.
“Australian families are deeply disturbed by what our kids are seeing online. This legislation will help.”
Mr Dutton said it was a “defining and critical issue” for many Australian families and it is well past time that this action is taken.
“These laws are an important step to make social media companies put the best interests of our kids ahead of their own profits,” he said.
Parents grieving children who took their own lives after being bullied, harassed or extorted via social media praised the “historic day” thanking politicians for hearing their pleas to help protect other families from tragedy.
Wayne Holdsworth, whose son Mac, 17, took his own life last October after he was blackmailed by a scammer pretending to be a teenage girl, said it was a “historic day”.
“We finally have a voice and that has resonated through parliament and will now leave a legacy for Mac,” Mr Holdsworth said.
“It’s probably one of the greatest days in our life because his life now means something – and that is really significant for us as a family.
“I represent the many hundreds of parents that have had their children either take their own lives or be significantly damaged by social media … and it’s a historic day.”
Eating Disorders Families Australia executive director Jane Rowan said parents around Australia, “particularly those who have witnessed the harm done to their children’s mental health”, were “celebrating tonight”.
“This legislation will change the norm for Australian families, giving parents the ability to say no to social media and to sleep easier at night as a result,” she said.
“Limiting access to social media to those aged 16 and over gives Australia the opportunity to reverse the devastating increase we’ve seen in eating disorders and other mental health conditions over the past decade.”
Ms Rowan said the legislation “may not be perfect” but it sent a “clear signal to the social media platforms that they are on notice and Australia will no longer tolerate the detrimental impact of social media on our young people”.
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