The Australian government is set to introduce a minimum age requirement for children using social media, citing concerns around mental and physical well-being. This move has faced criticism from digital rights advocates who warn it could push risky online activities into hidden corners of the internet.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the government will conduct a trial on age verification before implementing new laws later this year. Although he did not specify an exact age limit, he suggested it would likely fall between 14 and 16 years old.
“I want to see kids off their devices and engaging in physical activities like football, swimming, and tennis,” Albanese stated in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He emphasized the importance of real-life experiences over online interactions, expressing concerns about the social harms attributed to social media.
If adopted, Australia would join a small group of nations to enforce age restrictions on social media use. Efforts made by regions like the European Union have encountered obstacles, with critics raising issues about the potential infringement on the online rights of minors.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, which currently enforces a self-regulated minimum age of 13, expressed its commitment to empower younger users and suggested that it aims to provide parents with resources to guide their children’s social media usage rather than simply restricting access.
Replies from Alphabet, which owns YouTube, and TikTok were not available at the time of this report.
With four-fifths of Australia’s 26 million residents engaging on social media, the nation is among the world’s most connected populations. A recent study by the University of Sydney revealed that three-quarters of Australians aged 12 to 17 have used platforms such as YouTube or Instagram.
The announcement came during an ongoing parliamentary inquiry examining the societal effects of social media, where participants have shared emotionally charged accounts of its impact on adolescent mental health.
At the same time, the inquiry has raised critical questions about the feasibility of enforcing a lower age limit and the unintended consequences it may have, potentially driving younger users to conceal their online presence.
Daniel Angus, director of the Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology, cautioned that such measures may inadvertently cause significant harm by removing young people from healthy digital interactions and steering them towards less safe online environments.
The eSafety Commissioner of Australia previously expressed concerns in a report submitted to the inquiry, stating that “restriction-based approaches might limit young people’s access to essential support” and push them towards “less regulated, non-mainstream services”.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commissioner reiterated their commitment to collaborating with government and community stakeholders to refine strategies for addressing online harms, which can impact users of all ages, including those younger than the mid-teen years.
The industry organization DIGI, which represents social media platforms, urged the government to heed the advice of experts, including the eSafety Commissioner and mental health advocates, to prevent unintentionally pushing children into unsafe and less visible parts of the internet.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
