Why is Australia banning social media for children under 16?

Australia has announced a new rule banning children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms, including YouTube. The ban will start from December 10 this year.

This decision follows an earlier law passed in November last year, which already banned children under 16 from using platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, and X (formerly Twitter). At the time, YouTube was not included, but now the government has added it to the list.

Under the new law, children under 16 will still be allowed to watch age-appropriate videos on YouTube, but they will not be allowed to create their own accounts or upload content.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells announced the decision in Canberra, saying that social media is harming children socially. “We want to tell parents that we are with them,” said Prime Minister Albanese. Minister Wells also said that the government is committed to keeping children safe online.

This law is being called the world’s first “age-restricted social media platform” policy. It requires companies to take steps to prevent children below the age limit from creating accounts.

Apps related to education, health, messaging, and online games will not be affected by this ban.

If companies fail to follow the law, they could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars.

According to Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, a survey of 2,600 children found that 4 out of 10 had seen harmful content online.

A recent report by the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Services revealed that 95% of children aged 13 to 15 used social media last year. Also, 1.3 million children aged 8 to 12 were using social media — with 36% having their own accounts and 54% using their parents’ accounts.