Federal government backs banning under 16s from using social media

The Coalition wants to restrict children’s social media use through a tightened age verification scheme, but there are questions about how it will work.

An idea to ban children under the age of 16 from owning a Facebook, Instagram or Tiktok account in Australia has won bipartisan support; however, some leaders have cautioned against a rush to legislate before testing out age-checking technologies.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says if elected he’d legislate tighter age restrictions on social media platforms within his first 100 days of office.

Anthony Albanese later signalled support for the initiative, which aims to address growing concerns about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health.

“I want people to spend more time on the footy field or the netball court than they’re spending on their phones,” the Prime Minister told reporters on Thursday.

“And a ban, if it can be effective, is a good way to go.”

Social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram already have policies prohibiting users under the age of 13. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

While it's unclear exactly how the proposed age verification scheme would work, it’s been suggested that young people could prove their age by using a digital token that could be acquired by having an ID or using facial recognition.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said social media was a complex arena and raised concerns about the spread of misogynistic content online.

“It’s not easy and I’m not going to pretend it is, but it’s another front that we have to confront and respond to,” she told ABC’s News Breakfast.

“These things are really hard. When you ban something it doesn’t mean people’s interest wanes or that children all of a sudden are not going to have access to that information.”

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who introduced laws to ban deepfake AI-generated pornography earlier this month, said there was “no point” in introducing legislation for an age ban before it’s made clear as to how it would work.

“I’ve funded a trial, at $6.5m, of age assurance technologies so as to make sure that if we are able to legislate it’s going to be effective legislation,” Mr Dreyfus said on Friday.

“There are already meant to be age-restricted services on social media, and we’ve also quadrupled the funding for the eSafety Commissioner. It’s something that we have to proceed carefully. We need to make sure what we do works.”

Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley said tech companies could be compelled to work with age bans. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

A 2024 survey from Australian mental health service ReachOut found social media was the “No.1” issue of concern for parents and carers about their child’s development.

A recent report by the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, however, found there was insufficient evidence to support a ban on young people’s access to social media.

Education Minister Jason Clare said online platforms were a “cesspit” and said enforcing stricter regulations should be a bipartisan effort.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who backed Mr Dutton’s announcement, said she was confident the government would force technology companies to comply with new age limits.

“The tech companies, when asked to do this under a legal framework, will find a way … I don’t think they are saying they can’t do it. I think it’s saying they’re reluctant to do it,” she said.

“What they’re doing is actually profiting off the social media accounts of our kids. That is disgusting.”

Originally published as Federal government backs banning under 16s from using social media