Australia to ban children from social media

Canberra, Sep 10 (IANS/GURPUNEET SIDHU) Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday announced a plan to ban children from using social media. The Prime Minister stated that the government will introduce legislation in 2024 to enforce a minimum age for access to social media and other relevant digital platforms, reports Xinhua news agency. “We know social media is causing social harm, and it is taking kids away from real friends and real experiences,” he said in a statement. He said that the legislation would be informed by engagement with the states and territories, but his preference is to set the minimum age at 16 years. According to a poll conducted by state broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in August, 61 per cent of Australians supported restricting social media access to those younger than 17. At the same time, Peter Malinauskas, the premier of South Australia, commissioned former federal judge Robert French to explore legal pathways to ban children younger than 14 from social media. The prime minister said that the federal government would consider Robert French’s review when drafting the legislation. —