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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Josh Taylor

Australia plans to ban children from social media. Is checking and enforcing an age block possible?

A schoolboy looks at an iPhone screen
The federal government says it will introduce legislation by the end of 2024 to set an age limit for social media use, likely to be between 14 and 16. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said the government will impose an as-yet-undefined ban on younger teenagers and children from accessing social media before the next election.

On Tuesday, Albanese announced the plan to introduce legislation into parliament by the end of 2024 to block children from social media and other digital platforms unless they are over a certain age – likely to be between 14 and 16. It will come after the $6.5m trial of age verification or assurance technology funded in May’s budget.

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