Australia plans minimum age for social media use, angering digital rights advocates
NBCSep 18
Australia Proposes Banning Children From Accessing Social Media
Above: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Parliament House on May 15, 2024, in Canberra, Australia. Image copyright: Tracey Nearmy/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday that his government would introduce legislation in parliament to enforce a minimum age limit for children using social media.
The age limit to access platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok is yet to be determined, but it's expected to apply to children between the ages of 14 and 16 and will be enforced before the May 2025 election.
The Spin
Narrative A
Though this reckless and populist policy may play well in media discourse, such measures infringe on children's right to expression and exclude young minds from meaningful, healthy engagement in the digital world. This ban could also inadvertently drive struggling teenagers to hide their social interactions using virtual private networks, seek help secretly, or drive dangerous online activity underground, exacerbating the dangers. Last but not least, it would let tech giants off the hook in making necessary reforms to the quality of content on their platforms.
Narrative B
There's nothing "social" about social media. Children must play real games on the field, make friends in real-time, and have real experiences with the real world. Australia isn't making an absurd, unprecedented decision. China, France, and several states in the US have restricted minors' social media use to protect them from mental harm. Albanese is committed to giving parents the power to push back against social media corporations and force tech giants to ban teenagers from their platforms or face penalties.
Narrative C
This is a complex issue, and there are better solutions than cutting off access to social media. Countries that have imposed age limits have difficulty enforcing the measures as there are numerous ways users can circumvent the restrictions. To protect Australia's children, the government must develop high-quality experiences online for children of all ages, equip parents with the tools to support their teenagers, and probably place tobacco-style warning labels on social media to alert users.