Australia has passed a social media ban for teenagers and children under the age of 16, which will apply to companies including Instagram, X and TikTok. The measure is intended to reduce the “social harm” done to young Australians and is set to come into force from late 2025. Tech giants will be up against fines of up to A$49.6 million ($32.5 million) if they do not adhere to the rules.
The new law was approved on Thursday, with support from a majority of the general public. However, the blanket ban has sparked backlash from several child rights groups who warn that it could cut off access to vital support, particularly for children from migrant, LGBTQIA+ and other minority backgrounds. Critics argue it could also push children towards less regulated areas of the internet. The new legislation is the strictest of its kind on a national level and comes as other countries grapple with how best to regulate technology in a rapidly-evolving world.
Data from an Ipsos survey fielded earlier this year shows that it’s not just Australians who support a full ban of social media for children and young teens. As the following chart shows, two thirds of respondents across the 30 countries surveyed said the same. In France, an even higher share of adults (80 percent) held the view that children under the age of 14 should not be allowed social media either inside or outside of school. This belief was far less common in Germany (40 percent), which was the only nation where a majority did not support the ban.
Sentiments on smartphone use differed by generation. Where 36 percent of Gen Z said they would support a ban on smartphones in schools, the figure was far higher among older generations (66 percent of Boomers, 58 percent of Gen X and 53 percent of Millennials.)
