Australia’s historic move to ban social media for under-16s is set to take effect on Wednesday. At the same time, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese showed trust in the newly introduced prohibition and stated that it will ensure that children have a childhood.
IANS reported that Albanese on Tuesday wrote to the leaders of Australia’s states and territories to thank them for their support on the social media ban, acknowledging that the reform will require some adjustment in the short term.
“This is the cultural change Australia needs to deliver greater peace of mind for parents and ensure Australian children have a childhood,” he reportedly wrote.
What Is Australia’s Social Media Ban For Under-16s?
Under laws that were passed by the federal parliament in November 2024, certain social media platforms must take “reasonable steps” to prevent children under 16 from having accounts.
So far 10 social media platforms have been instructed to enforce the ban, they include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick and Reddit.
It is noteworthy that neither children nor their parents will be punished for breaching the ban under the laws, with the onus for enforcing it placed entirely on social media platforms.
According to the government, the ban is aimed to reduce the negative impact of social media’s “design features that encourage young people to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing”.
A study it commissioned earlier in 2025 found that 96 per cent of children aged 10-15 used social media, and that seven out of 10 of them had been exposed to harmful content.
This included misogynistic and violent material as well as content promoting eating disorders and suicide.
(with IANS inputs)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
