Australia plans to ban children from using social networks

Australian authorities are planning to introduce an age limit on social media use, amid claims it is harming children’s mental and physical health. Experts warn of possible abuses.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his government plans to introduce a trial period before passing a law on the age limit for the use of social networks, Reuters reported.

He did not specify the exact age limit, but pointed out that it will most likely be between 14 and 16 years old.

“I want to see kids leave their devices and go to soccer fields, swimming pools and tennis courts. We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know social media is causing social harm,” Albanese told Australia’s ABC.

If Australia passes the law, it would be among the first countries to introduce an age limit for social media. Previous attempts, including that of the European Union, were not successful due to complaints about narrowing the rights of minors to use the Internet.

Reuters reminds that Facebook and Instagram independently introduced the age limit and that their youngest users are 13 years old.

According to Australian government data, more than four-fifths of the population have profiles on social networks, and according to research by the University of Sydney, three-quarters of Australians aged 13 to 17 use YouTube or Instagram.

Experts warn of potential abuses. Australia’s Internet Safety Commissioner warned in June that an age-restricted approach could limit young people’s access to critical support and direct them to less regulated social networks.

Izvor: RTS
Photo by Ludovic Toinel, Unsplash