Australian states have backed a national plan to ban children under 16 from using social media.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s states and territories unanimously backed a national plan Friday requiring most forms of social media bar for children under 16.

Leaders of eight provinces held virtual meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss what he calls a world-first national approach that would put responsibility for enforcing age restrictions on platforms such as X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

“Social media is causing social harm to our young Australians,” Albanese told reporters. “The safety and mental health of our youth must be a priority.”

Government leaders have debated setting the limit for months, considering options ranging from 14 to 16 years.

While Tasmania would have preferred 14, the state was willing to support 16 in the interests of achieving national uniformity, Albanese said.

The bill will be introduced into parliament within two weeks and the age ban will come into force a year after it is passed, giving platforms time to consider how to exclude children. The government has not yet proposed a technical solution.

The delay is also intended to allow time to resolve privacy concerns related to age verification.

The main opposition party has backed the 16-year-old age limit in principle since it was announced on Thursday, suggesting the legislation would pass the Senate.

The minor Green Party was critical, saying the ban would prevent future child environmental activists like the Swedish party from emerging in Australia. Greta Thunberg.

More than 140 scientists with a background in technology and child welfare, last month signed an open letter to Albanese opposing age restrictions on social media, calling them “too blunt a tool to effectively address risks.”

Critics say most teenagers are tech-savvy enough to circumvent such laws. Some fear the ban will create conflict within families and push problems on social media underground.

Metawhich owns Facebook and Instagram, says stronger tools in app stores and operating systems to allow parents to control which apps their children can use would be a “simple and effective solution.”

The government is comparing the proposed age limit on social media to laws that restrict the sale of alcohol to adults aged 18 and over across Australia. Children still find ways to drink, but the taboo remains.

“We think these laws will make a real positive difference,” Albanese said.

But Lisa Given, professor of computer science at RMIT University, called the legislation “really problematic”.

“A lot of our social media is actually designed to provide children with extremely important information,” Given told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“There is no doubt that they also face bullying and other problems online, but what they actually need is social support to know how to use platforms safely and so they need more support from parents, carers, not less access to one or more platforms,” Given added.

Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtin University, called the government’s plan to remove 14- and 15-year-olds from their existing social media accounts “bizarre.”

“If you’ve already created that space in the world, removing it can actually do as much harm as the harm that is supposedly being removed,” Leaver said.

“There are so many questions about this that have yet to be answered, but even if we had clear answers about how it could work technically and how it could be implemented in the social sphere, it would still be hard to believe that this is really will ensure the safety of children on the Internet.” “he added.

Minister of Communications Michelle Rowland stated that children would retain access to online education and health services.

The legislation will also include strict privacy protections related to age verification.

“Privacy must be of paramount importance, including for children,” Rowland said. “We also need to be very clear about the realities. These platforms know about their users like no other.”

Rowland said YouTube would likely be included among the major platforms designated as age-restricted services under the law.

But YouTube Kids may be exempt from the tax. According to her, gaming and instant messengers will not have age restrictions.

“This legislation will strike a balance between minimizing the harm young people experience during a critical period of their development while also supporting their access to benefits,” Rowland said.

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