Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia will make its ban on social media for under-16s “bulletproof”. This after the legislation proved to have little effect on teenage use. The social media ban requires platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent minors from registering or maintaining an existing account.
Recent research from British Medical Journal It found that 85% of Australian children aged 12-15 were still actively using social media three months after the ban began. 66% of these children circumvented the restrictions by lying about their year of birth or by uploading a selfie that was deemed by the automated verification system to be over 16.
The Australian government has announced it will take legal action against the five largest social media platforms for failing to enforce the ban. Some social media companies are challenging the ban, including Reddit, which has challenged free speech in Australia’s High Court.
Australia’s social media ban has highlighted the dangers social media for children. Parents are now more willing to monitor their children’s online activities, and social norms around the acceptable age for social media and smartphone use are changing. The world will continue to watch as Australia leads the way.
