Government mulling over what age to restrict social media to as Anthony Albanese vows new laws

Australia will introduce legislation to enforce age restrictions on social media, but one big question remains.

New laws to enforce a ban on social media for young people will be introduced before the next federal election, but one key issue is yet to be ironed out.

The Albanese government has announced it will introduce new legislation before the next election due by May, but is still mulling over what age social media access should be restricted to.

Calling harmful effects of social media on young Australians “a scourge”, Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday his government was carrying out age assurance trials between the ages of 14 and 16.

“We know there is mental health consequences for what many of the young people have had to deal with – the bullying that can occur online, the access to material which causes social harm – and parents are wanting a response,” the Prime Minister told the ABC.

“We’re looking at the range between 14 and 16.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government is planning on legislation to enforce age verification for social media users. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He also said the government was looking at how best to enforce age restrictions nationally.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the Coalition was committed to introducing age limits on social media, having already vowing to introduce a law within 100 days if it wins the next election.

“We would support the Albanese government introducing an age limit today to deal with this important issue,” Mr Dutton posted on X.

“Every day of delay leaves young kids vulnerable to the harms of social media, and the time for relying on tech companies to enforce age limits is over.”

Earlier this year, I announced that a Coalition government would raise the social media access age to 16, and we would achieve this within our first 100 days in office. pic.twitter.com/7nsUNiIIhj

— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) September 10, 2024

Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman said the Coalition wanted a 16 year age limit and called on the government should ensure social media giants are forced to comply.

“Unless there are very substantial penalties, it wouldn’t have much of an impact,” Mr Coleman told Sky News.

“So clearly large numbers are required to get their attention and that’s what the Coalition would do.

“We had said we would release legislation within 100 days of coming to office and it would include very substantial powers.”

The government is looking to stop young Australians from accessing social media platforms such as TikTok Picture: NewsWire / Tim Pascoe

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie told Nine’s Today that the Coalition had “been on this page a long time” and pledged a Coalition government would legislate a restriction to “the age of 16” within 100 days if it won the next election.

The proposal comes amid widespread concerns from mental health professionals and parents alike about effects of social platforms on young people.

The Albanese government says it will introduce legislation to enforce age restrictions on social media before the next federal election. Picture: NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

With tech-savvy kids accessing technology at an increasingly early age, parents are having a hard time keeping an eye on what they get up to online.

Mr Albanese said his government was “listening to parents”.

“I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields and the swimming pools and the tennis courts,” he said.

“We want them to have real experiences with real people. We know that social media is causing social harm.”

The Tech Council of Australia welcomed the government’s “commitment and efforts to keep children safe online” but stopped short of directly endorsing age restrictions.

Chief executive Damian Kassabgi said Australia’s tech firms were “willing to support a co-ordinated national response to the harms posed by social media services to young people”.

“We support steps to address harms to young people that are evidence-based, proportionate and targeted to identified areas of risk that also deliver real results and accountability,” he said.

“Empowering young people to engage with technology safely will have significant benefits across our society and will improve trust in technology and the internet.”

Mr Kassabgi said the government’s announcement presented “an opportunity to work collaboratively with the tech sector to ensure these harms are addressed”.

Mr Albanese also slammed the companies behind the platforms, saying they had “a social responsibility in order to have that social licence that they require to operate in a decent society.”

“They’re not above everyone else,” he said.

“They can’t just say, ‘We’re a big multinational company. We can do whatever we like, regardless of the harm that’s being caused’.”

The South Australian government last week announced new laws that would impose big fines on social media firms if they did not ban children under 14.