Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: Elon Musk Criticizes The Prohibition Of Social Media Just For The Sake Of The X Agenda

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Elon Musk's criticism keeps a personal agenda (photo: x @albonmp)

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Elon Musk's criticism of the ban on the use of social media for children under the age of 16 was merely an attempt to push for the personal agenda of the owner of platform X. However, Albanese opened the door to discuss with Musk regarding the new law that was passed this week.

Australia passed a social media ban law for children on Thursday, November 28 after going through an emotional debate that caught national attention. This rule is one of the strictest regulations against major tech companies in the world, which is considered a new breakthrough in regulating the use of technology by children.

Elon Musk, who supports Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, previously called the law a "quiet way to control internet access for all Australians." This criticism was conveyed by Musk through platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

"If Elon Musk wants to talk, we are open to it," Albanese said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Sunday, November 1. "However, it is important to remember that as the owner of X, he has a personal agenda, and that's his right to push the agenda."

The new law requires major tech companies such as Meta, Instagram and Facebook owners, as well as TikTok, to prevent minors from using their platforms. Companies that violate this rule will be fined up to USD 49.5 million (approximately IDR 500 billion).

The government plans to start a trial of law enforcement methods in January 2025 before the regulation is officially enforced a year later.

"We are committed to resolving this. Parliament has massively supported this law," Albanese added.

The law was passed with the support of the Conservative Party, the main opposition of the Labor Party, after going through a lightning process with 31 other laws on the final day of a parliamentary session full of solid agendas. Meanwhile, X has not yet provided an official response to the law