Prime Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday announced a landmark move to establish minimum age requirements for social media use, with the aim of protecting children from the mental and physical health risks associated with these platforms.
Albanese revealed yesterday that the federal government will introduce age limits for major social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat before the next election in May. The decision follows a national consultation with states and territories.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has already pledged to implement a 16-year-old age limit within his first 100 days in power and several states have indicated their willingness to introduce similar legislation.
The Herald Sun and News Corp’s ‘Let Them Be Kids’ campaign highlighted the rise in anxiety, depression and eating disorders among children and teenagers, advocating the introduction of a 16-year-old age threshold for access to social media.
While the Prime Minister has not yet set the exact age limit, the government will take into account feedback from the $6.5 million Age Assurance Pilot, and discussions with state premiers to set a consistent national standard.
Albanese expressed his commitment to addressing this issue, stating: “We know that technology moves fast, and while no government can protect every child from every threat, we must do what we can.” He assured parents that his government is committed to meeting this challenge.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan also announced plans to consult on raising the age for accessing social media, focusing on holding technology companies accountable rather than putting the burden on parents and children.
Ms Allan supported the Prime Minister’s initiative and said Victoria would align its efforts with the proposed South Australian and Commonwealth legislation.
The father of Kilmore teenager Jessica Cleland, who committed suicide in 2014 due to cyberbullying, welcomed the age limits but called for additional measures, such as banning social media at certain times of the day.
Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg praised the move as a positive step for parents, stressing the need for greater regulation of social media companies.
