Australia is moving towards implementing a minimum age limit for children using social media, citing rising concerns about mental and physical health. This initiative has ignited criticism from digital rights advocates who warn that it could push risky online behavior into more dangerous, hidden corners of the internet.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his government will conduct an age verification trial before formally introducing laws to set a minimum age for social media use later this year. While Albanese did not specify the exact age, he indicated it would likely fall between 14 and 16 years old.
“I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields and the swimming pools and the tennis courts,” Albanese stated during an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know that social media is causing social harm,” he added.
If implemented, this law would position Australia among the first countries globally to enforce such an age restriction. Previous attempts by regions like the European Union have faltered due to complaints about infringing on the online rights of minors.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, which has a self-imposed minimum age of 13, expressed a desire to empower young users by providing parental tools rather than limiting access. Responses from YouTube and TikTok regarding the new proposal were not immediately available.
With around 80% of Australia’s 26 million residents using social media, and three-quarters of Australians aged 12 to 17 having accessed platforms like YouTube and Instagram, the proposed regulations come at a time when a parliamentary inquiry is investigating social media’s societal impacts, especially its effect on teenagers’ mental health.
However, the inquiry has raised concerns that setting an age limit might inadvertently harm younger users by pushing them to conceal their online activities. Daniel Angus, director of the Queensland University of Technology Digital Media Research Centre, cautioned against creating “serious harm” by driving youth to lower-quality online spaces.
The eSafety Commissioner has echoed similar sentiments, warning that “restriction-based approaches may limit young people’s access to critical support” and could lead them to “less regulated non-mainstream services.”
The commissioner emphasized the importance of refining Australia’s approach to online safety and collaborating with various stakeholders to address online harms that threaten users of all ages.
Industry body DIGI urged the government to heed expert opinions, including those from mental health professionals and marginalized groups, to avoid inadvertently pushing children into unsafe parts of the internet.
