Australia has approved groundbreaking legislation banning children under 16 from using social media, setting a global benchmark for regulating digital platforms.

The Social Media Minimum Age bill, passed by the Senate with 34 votes to 19, will force tech giants including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and X to prevent minors from accessing their platforms or face substantial fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars.

Meta has criticised the legislative process, with a company spokesperson expressing concern about rushing the legislation "while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people."

Prime minister Anthony Albanese defended the legislation, stating: "We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs." The law, set to take effect in late 2025, follows growing concerns about social media's mental health impact on young people.

However, the legislation has not been without criticism. Christopher Stone, executive director of Suicide Prevention Australia, argued the government had "run blindfolded into a brick wall" by rushing the legislation, warning it fails to consider the positive aspects of social media in supporting young people's mental health.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young was particularly critical, describing the ban as "boomers trying to tell young people how the internet should work to make themselves feel better".

The Australian Human Rights Commission has also warned the law may infringe on young people's rights and reduce their ability to participate in society.

Despite these concerns, the main opposition party supports the ban. Shadow communications minister David Coleman asked: "What other generation in history has grown up being exposed to as much damaging content as this generation?"

Internationally, the legislation is drawing significant attention. The United Kingdom's technology secretary Peter Kyle has discussed the ban with Australian politicians, while France's education minister Anne Genetet has expressed interest in adopting a similar approach.

Elon Musk, owner of X, has already criticised the ban, suggesting it is "a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians".

The government plans to trial age verification methods in January, with platforms required to develop technically feasible age restriction processes. Importantly, children who circumvent the ban will not face penalties.

The law builds on Australia's previous tech regulatory efforts, including making social media platforms pay media outlets for content sharing. It represents a robust stance against perceived digital harms, positioning the country at the forefront of social media regulation.

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