Australia is considering banning social media for children under 16

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday announced plans in the country to ban social media for children under the age of 16, saying “social media is harming our children, and I’m calling time.”

The proposed law will enter the parliament this year, and it will come into effect a year after the lawmakers approved it, said Albanese, adding that there will be no exemption from parental consent. This means platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, and possibly YouTube will bear the burden of preventing access to children, according to a Reuters report.

Australia’s approach is among the strictest in the world, but many other countries are following suit. Norway’s prime minister last month said the country would raise the age limit for social media use to 15 from 13, and called for a stronger campaign against profit-driven technology companies that “go against the brains of young children.”