Australia Bans Social Media For Under-16s — Here's The PM's Rationale

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Australia PM Anthony Albanese has announced that the country has banned social media for kids aged younger than 16 to ensure safety, amongst widespread support on social media.

"This is about letting kids be kids," said Albanese in a video posted to social media platform X.

Companies that violate the law could face fines of up to A$50 million ($32 million) for each breach. However, underage users and their parents will not be penalised for breaking the rules themselves.

Since 2021, after parliamentary investigations into online safety and social media content, public pressure on the government to intervene has steadily increased. These inquiries featured testimonies from people who expe