The Australian parliament has decided to ban access to social networks to children under the age of 16, implementing one of the most restrictive measures in the world towards platforms such as X, Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook. The text, which has received the green light from both houses of parliament and bipartisan support, will oblige platforms to adopt "reasonable measures" to prevent teenagers from having an account.
The companies - which risk fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (about 30 million euros) in case of non-compliance - have called the measures "vague", "problematic" and "rushed". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese - who called social media "an engine of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators" - is now appealing to Australian parents to help enforce the measures. The Prime Minister would like young people "to get off their phones and go to football and cricket fields, tennis and netball courts, swimming pools".
