Australia to be first country to implement ban on social media for teen

(MENAFN) Australia became the first nation to implement a ban on social media use for children under 16, which came into effect at midnight local time (1300 GMT Tuesday). Authorities have ordered platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat to block users in this age group or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed the move as a historic milestone, stating, “my pride to be prime minister of Australia has never been greater. This is Australia showing enough is enough.” He added, "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."

The ban affects hundreds of thousands of Australian teens, with estimates of roughly 440,000 aged 13-15 on Snapchat, 350,000 on Instagram, 325,000 on YouTube, and more than 200,000 on TikTok.

The eSafety commissioner has designated platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube as restricted. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, along with platforms like Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, LEGO Play, Pinterest, Steam, Steam Chat, and YouTube Kids, are not covered by the law.

Under the legislation, penalties are directed at the platforms rather than children or their parents. The eSafety commissioner will oversee compliance and enforce the law using powers granted under the Online Safety Act.

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