Australia plans to ban children from using social networks

The Australian government has announced plans to enact a new law that will ban children under the age of 16 from opening social media accounts. The law, which is expected to be debated in parliament, aims to deal with the negative effects of social media on children’s health and development.

prime minister, Anthony Albanese emphasized that this is a move designed to protect Australian families. “Social media has become a significant source of risk for our children,” he said.

According to the bill, the companies that operate the networks will be required to implement age verification mechanisms. However, the law will not apply to existing accounts, and no exceptions will be granted based on parental consent.

The bill received support from private organizations, but also drew criticism. The Coalition for the Rights of the Child in Australia claimed that it was “too crude a tool” and called for implementing safety standards instead of a complete ban.

A comprehensive report published this year in France under the direction of President Emmanuel Macron called for children to be kept away from smartphones until the age of 11 and to prevent access to social networks until the age of 18. The report stated that the use of screens harms the children’s brain functions, attention and social skills. The experts warned that the algorithms of the social networks create addiction and interfere with the normal development of the brain.