The Australian Government approved a regulation that children under the age of 16 should be banned from using social media. The government initiated this to protect the mental health of children. This was approved on Thursday by the lawmakers of Australia. The ban is applied to social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, X, etc. This law will come into action in 2025. The tech companies may have to pay a fine of 49.5 million if they are found to breach the order.
Banning Social Media for Under 16s: A Good Initiative From the Australian Government?
The Australian government approved a groundbreaking social media law on Thursday. Children who are under 16 or minor can no longer use social media platforms. This regulation is applied to all mainstream social media applications like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X, etc. This initiative from the Australian government has already led to a lot of criticism. Child rights groups have already expressed their dissent towards this newly introduced regulation.
This regulation implemented by the lawmakers of Australia will force tech giants like Meta, Snap Inc., ByteDance Ltd, etc to stop their services to minors or children under the age of 16. Any negligence or non-compliance regarding this law will lead to a huge fine for the tech tycoons. As per the Australian government regulations, the companies will have to pay a fine of up to $49.5 million if they fail to follow the regulations. The companies have one year to implement this ban among children. The penalties will be fined only after this period and further negligence regarding this law may lead to serious complications.
The Australian government brought this regulation or age restriction to enhance the mental health of the children of the country. Social media is one of the responsible factors for the unprecedented stress and anxiety among children. This regulation will help to improve the mental health of children who can lead the country into prosperity. The child rights groups came up with their dissatisfaction regarding this law, and they claim that this could be a violation of child rights and it cannot be acceptable. The parent group has given their green signal to this law and they supported and welcomed this law. According to the latest poll conducted on this, 77% of the Australian population wanted this law to come into force.
Will an absolute ban on social media lead to improved mental health among children under 16?
Developed countries like France and some states in The United States have also approved laws regarding the social media age restriction among children. However, the children from those places will still have access to social media platforms. With the permission and governance of their parents. Australia is planning to implement an absolute ban on children who are under the age of 16 from all social media platforms. This could be a good initiative from the Australian government.
Children are facing numerous problems with social media platforms. Children often face cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, internet and social media addiction stress, anxiety, etc from the overuse of social media platforms. This will lead to serious personality disorders and maladjustments in society. The statistics confirm that so many children are facing emotional distress and negative body image and self-esteem. Due to the unrealistic beauty and living standards exposure from social media platforms. This can lead to a lack of confidence and even self-harm.
The initiative from the Australian government suggests the absolute banning of children who are under the age of 16 from social media platforms will be beneficial for the entire country. And the emotional and physical well-being of the children in the country. The unparalleled support from the parent community itself shows how concerned parents are about the mental health of their children. Child rights supporters are opposing this regulation and considering it a child rights violation, but we can see further discussions in the upcoming days.
The absolute ban in 2025: Do social media companies have enough time to implement the regulation?
The law is still in its early stages, there is a lot of distance to cover and there are so many things that need to be taken care of. Social media companies are obliged to meet the criteria before the end of 2025. These tech companies have almost a year to make the necessary arrangements that prevent the access of children who are under 16. The trial of methods to enforce this law will start in January. Further actions and fines will only be implemented after one year. All the companies should meet the necessary criteria before the allotted period.
