Australia to ban social media for children under 16

KABUL (Pajhwok): Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced his government will legislate a ban on the use of social media for children under 16 years of age.

According to Reuters, Albanese told a press conference: “This step will be taken for the parents of children. Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it.”

He said the children who already had social media accounts would not be exempted from the proposed measure. The premier insisted he would not allow exceptions due to parental consent.

The draft law is supposed to be sent to the Australian parliament next month and then take effect one year after being approved by lawmakers.

Both of major Australian parties, Labor and Liberal, support raising the age limit for social media users in the country.

The prime minister had proposed an age limit for social media users earlier this year, but this is the first time he has specified it.

aw/mud