Australia’s Shocking Social Media Ban: Under-16s BANNED from Facebook, Instagram, and More – PM Albanese Confident of “Common Good” Outcome
- In a world-first move, Australia is set to ban nine social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, for children under 16 from December 10.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claims the ban will empower parents and spark a social change for the “common good”, despite concerns over enforcement and tech company compliance.
- The ban is expected to reduce anxiety, loneliness, and depression in young people, with one 12-year-old student, Flossie Brodribb, already making a difference with her school project on the topic.
Anthony Albanese is confident that Australia’s groundbreaking social media age limit will succeed, citing the “common good” and comparing it to game-changing laws like alcohol limits and seatbelts. The Prime Minister believes the real change will come through voluntary compliance from the community, rather than relying solely on tech companies to enforce the ban.
“This isn’t a debate that’s come from government making a decision and then telling their community this is what must happen: it’s the reverse here, this is the community demanding an appropriate government response and demanding that social media companies show social responsibility,” he said.
In a heartfelt development, 12-year-old Flossie Brodribb, who researched the impact of social media on young brains for a school project, has inspired the Prime Minister with her findings. Flossie, who was invited to meet Mr. Albanese in Canberra, said she was “inspired” to investigate the effects of social media after her parents prohibited her from using it.
“I decided to choose this topic because I’ve always been super interested in how the brain works and I’ve never been allowed social media, and I wanted to see if the science actually backed up my parents’ reasoning,” she said. “And they were right, as much as I hate to say it … social media has lots of impacts I wouldn’t want to be exposed to.”
Mr. Albanese vowed that the government would work closely with tech companies to ensure they comply with the laws, which will see fines of up to $49 million for non-compliance. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, will oversee the implementation of the ban, which is set to take effect on December 10.
The world is watching Australia, with the European Union and New Zealand among the jurisdictions keenly observing the outcome of the pioneering ban. Will it be a success? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – Australia is taking a bold step towards safeguarding the mental health and wellbeing of its young people.
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