Australia passes legislation banning children under 16 from social media

In a milestone decision, Australia's Senate has passed laws to prohibit children and teenagers from using social media, the first such decision by any government across the globe.

The laws, passed on the last day of the ongoing Senate session on Thursday, are set to come into force at the end of next year, after which anyone age 16 or below will be blocked from using platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and X.

The firms — who face fines of up to $32.5 million for failing to comply — have described the laws as "vague", "problematic" and "rushed".

The legislation passed parliament's lower chamber on Wednesday.

The government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the move, saying it was "necessary to protect their mental health and well-being."

Under the new laws, however, social media companies will not be able to force users to provide government identification, including digital IDs, to assess their age, according to ABC News.

While 34 senators voted in favour, 19 opposed it. The House of Representatives, however, overwhelmingly approved the legislation with 102 votes in favour and just 13 lawmakers opposing the ban.

Earlier, Albanese said social media was "doing social harm."

"We want Australian children to have a childhood, and we want parents to know the Government is in their corner. This is a landmark reform. We know some kids will find workarounds, but we're sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act," he said in a statement on November 21.

'I'll find a way'

But young Australians, like 12-year-old Angus Lydom, are not impressed.

"I'd like to keep using it. And it'll be a weird feeling to not have it, and be able to talk to all my friends at home," he told the AFP news agency.

Many are likely to try to find ways around it.

"I'll find a way. And so will all my other friends," Lydom said.

Some companies will likely be granted exemptions, such as WhatsApp and YouTube, which teenagers may need to use for recreation, school work or other reasons.

Many social media platforms have policies against minors using their services, but they are known to be widely ignored. Some platforms have been accused of using algorithms to make teenagers addicted to their services, claims the companies firmly deny.

Numerous studies have linked social media usage among youth with lower self-esteem and psychological problems.