Australia Set to Ban Under 16s from Using Social Media

Australia is set to ban young persons aged 16 and below from social media, Neusroom just gathered.

This comes after lawmakers in the country passed the landmark rules on Thursday.

The rule will come as a blow to social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X as the legislators believe the algorithms are too addictive for these young ones.

On the floor of the Senate, 34 voted in favour of the rule while 19 voted against it.

There is one final approval needed to make it a law as the new rules will now return to the lower house.

The new rules were spearheaded by Centre-left Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.

Albanese has asked parents to get behind the rule and support it.

According to him, social media is “a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators.”

He, instead, advised these young ones to engage in swimming, tennis, reading books and other related activities that could influence their minds positively.

The new rule has, however, not gone down well among the children as many feel they are hard done by the new rules.