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Australia plans to move children away from mobile phones. Also the use of social media will be stopped. The country's government is going to take this step mainly because of the concern about the mental and physical health of children. Earlier, the European Union took such a step but it failed. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced this on Tuesday local time. Anadolu Agency.
In a statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, "His Labor government will introduce legislation this year to set a minimum age for access to social media and other relevant digital platforms." Albanese said, "We know social media is harming society. It's taking children away from real friends and real experiences. He added, 'I want children away from mobile phones and into football fields, swimming pools and tennis courts. We want them to have real experiences with real people. Because we know social media is causing social harm.
However, the Prime Minister of Australia did not give details about how many years this ban will be effective on children. But it is believed to be between 14 and 16 years of age. However, experts opposing the initiative say imposing an age limit may be difficult to implement. It can also force teenagers to secretly conduct online activities, which can be risky. Daniel Angus, director of the Digital Media Research Center at the University of Queensland, said the decision could deprive young people of meaningful and healthy participation in the digital world and push them into low-quality online spaces.
But if the law goes into effect, Australia will be one of the first countries in the world to impose an age limit on social media. Earlier attempts by the European Union had failed. Because it was accused of curtailing the online rights of minors. Four-fifths of Australia's 26 million people are active on social media. The plan was announced in the context of a parliamentary inquiry into the government, which raised concerns about the psychological impact of social media on teenagers.
A 2023 University of Sydney study found three-quarters of Australians aged 12 to 17 use YouTube or Instagram.
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