Australia’s Teen Social Media Ban Praised at UN
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promoted his government’s world-first ban on social media for teens under 16 during an event in New York, calling the move a necessary step to address the “constantly evolving” risks digital platforms pose for children.
The law, which takes effect in December, makes Australia the first country to prohibit those under 16 from creating social media accounts. Instead of blanket age verification, the government wants platforms to use artificial intelligence and behavioral data to estimate user ages.
“It isn’t foolproof, but it is a crucial step in the right direction,” Albanese said at the Protecting Children in the Digital Age event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the measure, saying she was “inspired by Australia’s example” and that Europe would be “watching and learning” as it considers its own policies.
Australia’s center-left government introduced the law citing research linking excessive social media use among young teens to mental health issues, bullying, misinformation, and harmful body image content. The minimum age for accounts will rise from 13 to 16.
Albanese framed the law as both sensible and overdue, saying it would give teens “three more years of being shaped by real-life experience, not algorithms.”