New Delhi: Australia is set to introduce legislation this year to introduce minimum age for access to social media and other digital platforms, a government release stated.
The legislation, which is a Commonwealth-led approach, is part of the Government’s efforts to protect children from online harm. It will also be in support of parents and carers in seeking to navigate the online world with their children. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, says he knows that social media is having a negative impact on young people and is taking steps to protect them. “We know social media is causing social harm, and it is taking kids away from real friends and real experiences,” he said.
The Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, says she understands the concerns of parents and young people regarding online environments and addictive social media behaviour.
“As a mother of young daughters, and Minister for Communications, [Minister’s Name] fully understands concerns around harmful online environments and addictive social media behaviour of children,” she said. “Parents want real solutions and we are taking decisive action to identify and implement these very solutions to help ensure young people can use the internet in a safe and positive way that supports their learning and their lives. We are also holding big tech to account because platforms and online services have a key responsibility for the safety of their users.
The Government is also involved in a $6.5 million age assurance trial that is exploring different implementation approaches to help inform policy design, the release added.