Prohibition Of Social Media For Children Under 16 In Australia Triggers Pro-Contra

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed that this policy aims to protect children (photo: x @albomp)

JAKARTA The Australian government has officially banned children under the age of 16 from using social media, a move known as the leading regulation in the world. Despite receiving praise from some people, this policy has also drawn strong criticism from tech giants like TikTok, warning that the ban could push children into "an internet dark spot".

The law passed on Thursday evening forced platforms such as Meta's Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to block access to children under 16 years of age. Companies violating this rule will be fined up to USD 49.5 million (approximately IDR 510 billion). The regulatory enforcement method trial will begin in January 2025, and the ban will take full effect a year later.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed that this policy aims to protect children from the adverse effects of social media on physical and mental health, especially for girls who are vulnerable to content about body and boy images of misogynistic content.

"Platforms must be socially responsible to ensure the safety of children is a priority," said Albanese.

Australian society gave a variety of responses. Badminton Sambas, a Sydney resident, supports the policy on the grounds that social media is often unsafe for children.

However, criticism came from residents such as Shon Klose who felt the government had "improved democracy". "How can the government make this rule and impose it on the people?" said Klose.

TikTok representatives criticized the legalization process which was deemed rushed and ignored suggestions from online mental health and security experts.

"We are disappointed that the Australian government ignored input from many experts against this ban," a TikTok spokesperson said.

Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), called this policy a covert effort to control internet access in Australia.

Albanese recognizes the challenges in implementing this ban, but insists that this approach is the right move, similar to the alcohol ban for teens under 18 who remain effective even though they are not perfect.

With this move, Australia amplifies its position as a firm country against tech companies, having previously forced platforms to pay royalties to local media and threaten them with fines if they fail to handle online scams.