Australia’s bid to ban children under the age of 16 from social media has been backed by the loved ones of a teenager who died by suicide after exposure to harm online.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Thursday the government had agreed to introduce a minimum age limit for social media access.
“I want Australian parents and families to know that we have your back,” he told parliament.
“I want to give children a childhood and give parents peace of mind, the onus will be on social media companies, not parents or young people, there will be no penalties for users.”
The prime minister said the proposal would be considered at a virtual meeting of the nation’s leaders on Friday.
Holding a pink urn, Robb Evans spoke about losing his 15-year-old daughter Olivia who had struggled with an eating disorder.
He said she had been able to access harmful content online, which impacted her mental health.
“Liv can’t have a voice now,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“I know that she wanted to achieve change for other young girls and people suffering from eating disorders.
“Social media is a big part of that, and it’s getting worse for our kids, so I feel that this is just the right thing to do.”
Mr Albanese said the eSafety Commissioner will provide oversight and enforcement, with the legislation to kick in 12 months after it passes parliament.
Opposition communications spokesman David Coleman described addressing the problem as “one of the defining issues of our era”.
“We want to make sure that the legislation is strong and that there aren’t loopholes, and that this really protects Australian kids and captures those platforms that we are also concerned about,” he said.
Mr Coleman said neither TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram could ever be made safe for children.
He said the coalition wanted to see the legislation pass the parliament before it breaks for the year.
Former Tik Tok head of entertainment Felicity McVay said companies generally had respect for the governments of the countries they operated in.
“Tech companies wield a lot of power, very substantial power, and it is time for the government to step in and take action, to hold them accountable, to ensure that we are safeguarding the mental health of young people,” she said.
States across the country are considering their own rules, with social media companies facing harsh fines under proposed laws put forward by the South Australian government.
It commissioned former High Court justice Robert French to review how companies could restrict children.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland described the proposed laws as world leading.
“At arriving at this age, the government has taken a pragmatic approach,” she said.
“What our approach does is helps to achieve a balance between minimising those harms that are caused by young people accessing social media, while still enabling connection and inclusion.”
The government will introduce privacy protections for information collected for age assurance purposes.
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673
