According to the Associated Press today, Australia’s world-first “16-year-old social media age limit” will take effect in December. To address this, the Australian government has launched a public education campaign to provide parents and children with advice on how to gradually quit social media.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said her agency’s website, esafety.gov.au, provides detailed information and guidance on how to navigate the new laws.
Starting December 10th, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (IT Home Note: approximately 231 million yuan at the current exchange rate) if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from registering accounts.
Beginning Sunday, the government will also promote awareness of the new regulations through digital channels, television, radio, and billboards.
Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters, “We want children to enjoy their childhood to the fullest, parents to have peace of mind, and young Australians to have three more years to learn about themselves before social platforms define their identities.” She noted that the current 13-year-old age limit for social media accounts is a de facto standard based on US privacy laws.
Australia’s age limit policy has sparked controversy, with some experts arguing that it offers both protective benefits and potential negative consequences. Last year, over 140 Australian and international academics signed a letter to the government opposing age limits on social media, arguing that they were too crude an approach to effectively address the risks.
Despite these controversies, the law passed overwhelmingly last year. Platforms have a year to find ways to comply, but there is currently no perfect technology to verify users’ ages.
Julie Inman Grant said that social media age limits will be “a major event” in the lives of many young people. The agency has provided checklists and topic guidance to help parents navigate the transition, such as following influencers through websites rather than social media accounts. She asks a series of questions: “How can we gradually reduce children’s social media use in advance so that December 10th doesn’t become a ‘shock day’? How can we help them download archives and memories? How can we ensure that children can stay connected with friends and get mental health support when they are feeling down, even if they are not dependent on their phones during the holidays?”