Melbourne: Australia on Wednesday became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking access in a move welcomed by many parents and child advocates but criticised by major technology companies and free-speech advocates.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the ban as families took back power from tech giants but warned the implementation would be difficult.
Starting at midnight (1300 GMT on Tuesday), 10 of the largest platforms, including TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, were ordered to block children or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million) under the new law, which is being closely watched by regulators worldwide.
“This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies, and they’re asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“This reform will change lives. For Australian kids … allowing them to just have their childhood. For Australian parents, enabling them to have greater peace of mind. But also for the global community, who are looking at Australia and saying, “Well, if Australia can do it, why can’t we?” Albanese later told a Sydney gathering of reform supporters, including parents who blame social media for a child’s suicide.
Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (USD 32.9 million) from Wednesday if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children younger than 16.
The ban will be enforced by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. She said the platforms already had the technology and personal data about their users to enforce the age restriction with precision.
