Australia should delay social media ban until age-check trial finishes, Google and Meta say

Young people feel like the social media ban is victim-blaming them, instead of requiring adults and platforms to take responsibility, Queensland’s principal family commissioner says. Photograph: Roman Lacheev/Alamy

The Australian government should delay passing legislation banning under-16s from social media until a trial of age-assurance technology is completed, Google and Meta have said.

The federal government is pushing to pass the social media ban legislation by the end of this week, and has been accused of attempting to “ram” the bill through the parliament without appropriate consultation. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has indicated the Coalition will support the bill.