Australia says it aims to ban children from using social media apps like TikTok and Instagram to combat the impact these apps have on their development. In a statement, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the government will launch an age verification trial in the coming months ahead of the introduction of legislation to enforce a ban.
The Australian leader highlighted concerns of parents who are worried that their children are spending more time perusing trends on social media than getting outdoor exercise. Albanese’s concerns have been voiced time and again by psychologists and educators who believe that social media has an adverse impact on the mental and physical health of children. They say that excessive social media use can set unrealistic beauty standards and often cause anxiety and depression among impressionable minors.
While the minimum age for children to log into sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok has not been decided, it is expected to be between 14 and 16 years, Albanese said. Those against the move say that a blanket ban would impinge on a young person’s right to expression.
In the past, China, France, and several states in the United States have passed laws to restrict social media use by minors to curtail cyber-bullying incidents.
