Australia Introduces Social Media Ban for Children
The restriction officially commenced at midnight (1300 GMT on Tuesday), with regulators directing social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat to prevent access for minors or face penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the milestone as a moment of pride, stating that “my pride to be prime minister of Australia has never been greater. This is Australia showing enough is enough.”
He further emphasized the significance of the measure, noting, "This will make an enormous difference. It is one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has faced. It's a profound reform, which will continue to reverberate around the world in coming months."
Currently, hundreds of thousands of Australian adolescents are already active on social media platforms, with reports indicating approximately 440,000 13-15-year-olds using Snapchat, around 350,000 on Instagram, 325,000 on YouTube, and over 200,000 on TikTok.
The nation’s eSafety commissioner has identified Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube as restricted platforms under the new rule.
Messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are exempt from the ban. Additionally, other services and tools, including Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, LEGO Play, Pinterest, Steam, Steam Chat, and YouTube Kids, are also not affected by the new regulations.
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