Saving children from social media - 23rd September 2024

Australia's government has announced plans to ban children from social media. It's introducing a draft law in parliament by the end of the year.

The country's prime minister, Anthony Albanese, believes that apps like TikTok and Instagram harm children's development. He wants children to spend less time on digital devices. He says "parents want their kids off their phones and on the footy field."

Discussion about the right age for children to start using apps like TikTok and Instagram are the first step. The government's likely to choose somewhere between 14 and 16.

Politicians also need to decide how to identify a person's age. Technology which identifies a person's age by looking at their face is available. However, some experts think that this isn't effective with people under 16. Other suggestions include matching a person's face with their official photo ID.

Social media giant Meta, which is Facebook and Instagram's parent company, isn't keen on running age checks. Instead, it suggests that age verification should be done via the smartphone or tablet itself.

The system's privacy is also important. Some people have suggested using a separate organisation to confirm the person's age via official records. It would then authorise their access to a social media platform.

China and France already have laws around children and social media. These laws reduce online bullying and the visibility of unhealthy body shapes. However, lawyers are unsure if a complete ban on social media can work.