Australia recently instituted the world’s first teen social media ban, called the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill. The act of legislation prohibits children under age 16 from accessing popular platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat, and more. The hope is to prevent children from the damage social media can cause to their mental health by deactivating their accounts and threatening to fine social media companies up to $50 million if they do not stop under-16s from having accounts.
According to their government, 86 percent of Australians aged 8 to 15 used social media prior to the ban. “It is one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has faced,” shares Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The world is now watching to see if the law is effective. This drastic action should be a wake-up call to parents around the globe that technology is very powerful and it is important to protect your kids and what they can do online. reuters.com
