The Federal Government is seeking to ban under-16s from social media, and will trust tech giants to enforce it.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a plan to ban children under 16 from social media, framing it as a necessary move to address mental health concerns tied to online activity. 

The proposed legislation aims to bar young Australians from platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Albanese has painted social media as a threat to young people’s well-being, saying; “Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it”. 

“I want Australian parents and families to know that the government has your back,” he said, claiming the proposed ban would empower parents to enforce boundaries by saying; “Sorry, mate, it’s against the law”.

The plan, which faces a national cabinet review on Friday, places the onus on social media companies to enforce the ban. 

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has promised increased penalties for companies that fail to prevent underage access, while the eSafety Commissioner would handle oversight. 

The policy allows for no exemptions, even with parental consent.

Rowland has defended the policy as a “pragmatic approach” following consultation with industry experts and social media platforms, yet acknowledged that it might not deliver the intended results in full. 

“What our approach does is help to achieve a balance between minimising harms caused to young people accessing social media while still enabling connection and inclusion,” she said.

While the government says it would provide social media platforms with a one-year lead-in time, the feasibility of such a sweeping regulation remains uncertain. 

Albanese has conceded that enforcing the age restriction will be imperfect, drawing a comparison to alcohol laws in Australia, where underage access is often possible despite restrictions. 

“We don’t pretend that you can get a 100 per cent outcome here,” he said, acknowledging a likely unavoidable gap in enforcement.

Coalition communications spokesman David Coleman recently called for an age restriction on social media access, while the South Australian government has commissioned former High Court chief justice Robert French to investigate online harms affecting children. 

The review drew attention to the prevalence of bullying, sexting, aggression, and inappropriate content on major platforms - factors cited by the Albanese government as central to its proposed legislation.

Critics argue that the ban may serve as a blunt tool that sidesteps more nuanced approaches, such as digital literacy education and parental engagement. 

Albanese dismissed the suggestion that educating children on safe social media use could offer a solution.

“I don’t know about you, but I get things popping up on my system that I don’t want to see. Let alone a vulnerable 14-year-old,” he said, also highlighting a perceived “unequal power relationship” between social media users and tech companies.

The Albanese government does not appear to have addressed how the ban will mesh with growing digital demands for young people in education and social spheres.

The proposal will be put to a vote in the final parliamentary session of the year. 

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