Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promoted his government’s groundbreaking ban on social media for teenagers at an event in New York, stating that the challenges social media poses for children are “constantly evolving.”
Starting in December, Australia is aiming to become the first country to block social media use for those younger than 16. Governments and tech companies worldwide are closely watching this effort.
At the “Protecting Children in the Digital Age” event, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Albanese said the ban “isn’t foolproof, but it is a crucial step in the right direction.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this sentiment in her speech, saying she was “inspired by Australia’s example.” “We in Europe are watching and will be learning from you… it is up to us to step up for the next generation,” she added.
The ban, which became law in November 2024, seeks to raise the minimum age for creating a social media account from 13 to 16. Albanese’s center-left government proposed the legislation based on research showing that excessive social media use among young teens harms mental health through exposure to misinformation, bullying, and harmful body image depictions.
Albanese called his government’s initiative a sensible but overdue step to protect children during a critical phase of their lives. He explained that the law would give Australian teens “three more years of being shaped by real-life experience, not algorithms.”
