Later this year, the government will prohibit minors from creating social media accounts, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who announced that his administration will shortly test age verification technology.
He stated that the age range for the cap will probably be between 14 and 16.
“I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields and the swimming pools and the tennis courts,” Mr Albanese
informed Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“We want children to interact with real people because we are aware of the negative societal effects of social media.
Australia would be among the first nations in the world to adopt such an age limit if the law is implemented.
Owner of Facebook and Instagram, Meta, stated that it wished to give youth options to help them “instead of just cutting off access” and that it wanted them to be able to benefit from its platforms. Meta has set a minimum age of 13.
According to data from the tech sector, out of Australia’s 26 million people, four-fifths use social media, making it one of the most online countries in the world.
It coincides with a legislative investigation into the impact of social media on Australian society, which has heard testimony regarding the detrimental effects on youth mental health.
