Australia Bans Social Media for Under-16s

A law banning social media use for children younger than 16 years old was passed in the Australian Parliament on Thursday.

The law will make social media platforms liable for fines of up to au$50 million (us$33 million) for systemic failures to prevent under-16s from having accounts. Social media platforms will be individually responsible for enforcing the ban, which will take effect in a year.

Platforms held accountable include social media giants TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram.

The law is the first of its kind, and is a sweeping effort to mitigate widespread harm to children caused by unsafe and unhealthy use of social media.

Silent addiction: Social media addiction among young people is ubiquitous and deeply entrenched. The negative and harmful effects of social media, especially on children, are well documented, often resulting in depression and related ailments, and sometimes even suicide. But action against this danger has been sparse.

Effective? The law has received mixed reactions throughout Australia and beyond. Though this law may have positive impacts on Australian children, it is ultimately the parents’ responsibility to raise and protect their children. Crippling family breakdown is manifesting itself in many areas. Such measures will have limited success if they are not supported by the authority of parents.

In his article “When Family Falls, Society Falls,” editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote:

History shows that the strength of any nation depends on the strength of its families. Family is the rock-solid foundation on which a country’s superstructure is erected.

Learn more: To understand how you and your family can break free of screen addiction, read “How to Crush Screen Addiction.”