Australia Officially Approves Social Media Ban for Under-16s

The Australian Parliament unanimously approved a bill banning the use of social media by children and teenagers under the age of 16, as previously announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. This law, which is the first of its kind in the world, will be implemented starting from the end of 2025. Following the parliamentary vote, it was determined that social media companies would face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars if they fail to take necessary measures to keep users under 16 off their platforms.

The law aims to protect mental health and well-being. The new legislation seeks to safeguard the mental health and overall well-being of individuals under 16 in Australia. While the goal is to keep young users away from social media platforms, it was noted that there would be no direct penalties for parents or young individuals. After the vote, social media companies will be required to take "reasonable steps" to limit young users' access to their platforms.

Social media giants will not be allowed to request digital identities or government identifications to verify the identity of users under 16, thus preventing users from sharing their personal data with social media platforms.

Certain applications and platforms are exempt from the ban. Under the new law, messaging applications, online gaming services, and services aimed at supporting the health and education of end users are excluded from the restrictions. This means that specific applications will still be accessible to young users. On the other hand, sites like YouTube, which do not require a login, are also not covered by the ban.

The viability and impact of the ban have raised global interest. Many countries are closely monitoring Australia’s bold decision, and it is anticipated that they may consider taking similar steps. How this new regulation will reflect on the operations of social media platforms and their relationships with young users will unfold over time.