States, Territories Back Proposed Law to Ban Under 16s From Social Media Access

The Albanese government’s proposal to restrict social media access for children under 16 has won approval from all six Australian states and two territories. Under the new legislation, tech companies that fail to enforce age restrictions will face hefty penalties. The bill, expected to be introduced in Parliament during the next sitting fortnight, will place responsibility on social media platforms to ensure compliance with age restrictions, rather than on parents or children themselves. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed out that the new law will protect children from online harms while giving parents clearer guidelines. “Social media is doing social harm to our kids. I’m calling time on it,” Albanese said....