UNITED NATIONS —Australia will become the first country to ban social media use for children under 16, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced at a UN event in New York on Wednesday.
The law, effective from December, raises the age limit from 13 to 16, requiring tech firms to use artificial intelligence and behavioral data to estimate users’ ages.
“It isn’t foolproof, but it is a crucial step in the right direction,” Albanese said, calling the measure a way to give teenagers “three more years of being shaped by real-life experience, not algorithms.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the move, saying Europe would “watch and learn” from Australia’s example.
The ban, passed in late 2024, follows research linking social media use among young teens to mental health harms, bullying, and body image issues.