Starting December 10, social media companies will be required to ensure that children under the age of 16 do not have accounts on their platforms. Violations of this law could result in fines of up to ₹3 billion (approximately $3 billion USD).
Social Media Ban For Children: Children under 16 years of age will not have an account on the platform.Quick ReadNews summary provided by AI. Reviewed by the news team.
Today, December 10th, Australia made history. Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for children. From today, all social media, from Instagram to TikTok, is banned for children under the age of 16 in Australia. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it a historic day, saying this legal reform would be life-changing. The ban would allow children to “simply enjoy their childhood” and give parents “peace of mind.”
What does the new law say?
Starting December 10th, social media companies will have to ensure that Australian children under the age of 16 do not have accounts on their platforms. If these companies violate this law, they could face fines of up to ₹3 billion (approximately $3 billion). The government has initially banned 10 social media platforms, including all the major ones—TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. However, other social media sites have also been warned to be prepared, as they are next.
This is one of Prime Minister Albanese’s key policies. He has stated that this ban is necessary to protect children from harmful online content and algorithms. However, tech companies say this is wrong and that there are better ways to safely manage children’s online activity. Many Australian children say that instead of a ban, the government should ask social media companies to take steps to clean up the mess on their platforms. Children should be taught how to navigate social media, not banned entirely.
Where else in the world are there such rules or bans?
Norway currently has a minimum age of 13 for opening a social media account, which is being raised to 15. Denmark is considering similar legislation. Indonesia is also considering similar measures, while the UK is considering imposing limits on the amount of time children can spend on social media. This means a time limit on how much time children can spend on Instagram. However, the UK government has stated that it currently has no plans to follow Australia’s lead and impose a ban.
Earlier, the state of Florida in the US had also banned children under 14 from opening social media accounts. However, a federal judge has since blocked this practice, citing it as a violation of free speech.