Australia Introduces Landmark Bill to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16

SYDNEY – Australia’s centre-left government has introduced a landmark bill in parliament on Thursday aimed at banning children under the age of 16 from using social media. The proposed legislation also includes penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million) for social media platforms found to have systemic breaches of the new rules.

The bill seeks to enforce strict age verification, potentially through biometrics or government identification, to ensure compliance with the age cut-off. This move marks one of the most stringent approaches to regulating social media use for minors by any country, and it is part of Australia’s ongoing efforts to address concerns about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health and safety.