Australia passes law restricting children's access to social networks

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Australian authorities have passed a law limiting the age of users on social networks, prohibiting access for persons under 16 years of age, Azernews reports.

The head of government noted that Australia has adopted "a world-leading law that sets the minimum age for social media users at 16 years old." "This law amends the current legislation governing internet security, providing more reliable protection for young Australians at critical stages of their development," the statement said.

Albanese also pointed out that the country's authorities will require technology companies and social media platforms to take reasonable measures to ensure that users under the age of 16 cannot create accounts or pages. "The government will impose strict penalties for violations of the new law, with digital platforms facing fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (over $32 million)," he said, noting that the new rules will apply to social networks like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and X. Google Classroom and YouTube, as well as messaging services and online games, will remain accessible to children.