Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has voiced concerns about the harm social media is causing to children, pledging to introduce new legislation later this month aimed at protecting young users from online dangers.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Calls for Action on Social Media Harm to Children.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has raised alarm over the growing harm social media is inflicting on children and young people, highlighting the need for urgent legislative action. In a statement, Albanese acknowledged the negative impact that social media platforms are having on the mental health, safety, and well-being of children, particularly as they become more exposed to cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predatory behavior.
The Prime Minister pledged to introduce new legislation later this month designed to address these concerns, with a focus on protecting young users from the many dangers that exist in the digital landscape.
Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced that children under the age of 16 will be banned from using social media as part of efforts to protect young people’s mental health.
Australia has a history of challenging large technology companies that run social media platforms, including a push in 2021 to make Facebook and Google pay for news content.
More recently, the government took Elon Musk’s X Corp. to court for failing to remove a video of a terrorist attack in Sydney.
The Labour government is also exploring new legislation to require social media platforms to combat misinformation and disinformation.
While the government said that it had engaged with social media companies on the age limits “through various means,” officials did not clarify which platforms would be affected, whether there was confirmation that the ban could be enforced, or what the potential penalties for companies might be.
Albanese admitted that he did not expect the laws to be fully effective or solve the issue immediately, citing the failure of alcohol restrictions to prevent underage drinking as an example.
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