Australia to go ahead with social media ban for children

Recently, we reported that Australia was planning to vote on a bill that could restrict social media usage to people over the age of 16. This bill was put forward in an effort to limit screen time and the content that young children are exposed to online.

Now, as per a Reuters report, it is official and the bill has passed through the Australian senate. Instagram, X, Snapchat and others will face the ban, but YouTube will be safe, thanks to it being used a lot in classrooms for education.

A spokesperson for Meta has said that while they will accept Australian law, they believe the bill was rushed through, while the Australian senate failed to "properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people."

"This is boomers trying to tell young people how the internet should work to make themselves feel better," said a senator for the Green party. On the other side of things, an anti-bullying advocate believes that this is a starting point for giving control back to parents over the content their child sees.

Where do you fall on the side of the social media ban?