- Prohibition of social networks for children under 16 years of age
- Anthony Albanese revealed his plans on Thursday
The Albanian government has pledged to ban children under 16 from social media, even if their parents say they can be online.
Anthony Albanese finally revealed the long-awaited age restriction for social platforms on Thursday, months after they announced the tests.
The Prime Minister said the action was “for mums and dads”.
“Social media is harming our children and I am calling for it to stop,” Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
‘I have spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
‘They, like me, are very concerned about the safety of our children online. “And I want Australian parents and families to know the government has their back.”
The prime minister said the proposal would be presented at a virtual meeting of the nation’s leaders on Friday.
“The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate that they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access,” he said.
Albanian government vows to ban social media for children under 16, even if their parents say they can be online (file image)
‘The responsibility will not fall on parents or young people. There will be no sanctions for users.’
He said the eSafety Commissioner will be responsible for oversight and compliance, and the legislation will come into force 12 months after it is passed by parliament.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland described the proposed laws as world-leading.
“As we reach this age, the government has taken a pragmatic approach,” he said.
“What our approach does is help strike a balance between minimizing the harms caused by young people’s access to social media while also enabling connection and inclusion.”
The government will introduce privacy protections for information collected for age assurance purposes.
