Australia has become the first country in the world to pass a bill banning social media for children under the age of 16. The bill, which passed the Australian Senate on Thursday, mandates social media platforms to restrict access for minors or face significant penalties. This legislation was championed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who raised concerns about the negative impact of excessive social media use on children’s health.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted in favor of the bill on Wednesday, with 102 votes in favor and 13 against. The proposal received support across all major political parties, including both the opposition and the coalition.

Under the new law, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok will be required to verify the age of their users. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to €30 million. However, children and parents will not face penalties for accessing social media. The law is set to come into effect in one year.

Social media companies have expressed concerns about the feasibility of the ban, particularly in terms of how to implement effective age verification. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, stated that the government is rushing the proposal without sufficient guidance, citing the unclear details of the implementation process.

The legislation has also faced criticism from human rights groups, who argue that there are alternative methods to protect children from harmful social media content. These groups contend that the ban infringes on children’s rights to express themselves and engage in society. Additionally, some organizations are calling for a legal requirement for companies to combat aggressive or harmful content instead.

Despite the criticisms, the ban enjoys significant public support in Australia, with 77% of Australians backing the measure according to a recent poll.

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