Australia wants to ban social networks for children under 16 years old

Author:
Oleksandra Opanasenko
Date:

Australia wants to ban children under 16 from using social networks. The draft law will be submitted to the parliament already this year.

Reuters writes about it.

Australia is testing an age verification system that will help block children from accessing social networks.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says social media can harm children — for example, affecting their physical and mental health. Thus, through social networks, girls can have a distorted perception of their own body, and boys can excessively consume violent and violent content.

"If youʼre a 14-year-old consuming this [content like this] at a time when youʼre going through life changes and growing up, it can be a really difficult time," Albanese said.

Some countries have also promised to limit childrenʼs use of social networks, although Australiaʼs policy is one of the strictest. Reuters notes that Australiaʼs proposal includes the highest age limit of any country, no exemptions for parental consent and no exemptions for pre-existing accounts.

The bill will be introduced to the Australian Parliament this year and will come into force 12 months after it is approved by lawmakers.

  • Australia is not the first country where they want to introduce a minimum age for using social networks. Yes, in Norway they want to raise the minimum age of social network users to 15.

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