The Australian government is preparing to impose a 16-year age limit for children to start using social media, and to hold the platforms accountable for complying with this.
Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese evaluated the work to impose an age limit on social media use. Stating that social media is harming children, Albanese said, “I am putting an end to this.” The law that will impose a 16-year age limit on social media use is expected to be submitted to Parliament this year, and Albanese stated that the age limit will come into effect 12 months after the law is passed. Social media platforms will be fined if they violate the age limit. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company would respect the Australian government’s recommended age limit. Social media platform X did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while TikTok declined to comment.
