Australia bans Instagram, Tiktok and Co. for under-16s

Australia bans children and young people under the age of 16 from accessing TikTok, Instagram & Co. This means that in future Australia will have the highest age limit ever set in a country for the use of social media. The Senate passed a corresponding law after the House of Representatives had already approved it with an overwhelming majority. The government in Canberra justifies its initiative by saying that the excessive use of such platforms poses risks to the physical and mental health of children.

The new rules, which are expected to come into force in twelve months, will require operators of online networks to introduce effective age checks. Systematic violations can result in penalties of up to 31 million euros. Facebook parent Meta and Alphabet subsidiary Google had appealed to parliament until recently to postpone the vote. The government should first wait for the results of a pilot project for age verification, which are expected in mid-2025.

The passage of the law was preceded by heated debates. The Senate meeting lasted until shortly before midnight local time. The decision was made almost an hour before the official end of the parliamentary year in Australia.

With the initiative, the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to improve its chances of re-election in May 2025. Albanese had already announced the plans in September and described the effect of online networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and Co. on children as a “scourge”. He emphasized that he wanted children to have a childhood. Social media, on the other hand, would “keep them away from real friends and real experiences.”

According to recent surveys, a good three-quarters of Australians support social media bans. Critics warn that the law could isolate children and young people and also exclude them from the positive aspects of social media. Affected young people who are cut off from their most important communication channels made similar comments. Independent MP Zoe Daniel said the new legislation would fail to mitigate the dangers of social media. The government’s real goal is not to make social media completely safe, but to give parents and voters the feeling that the government is doing something.