Australia plans social media ban for under-16s

The government says it wants to mitigate the "harm" social media is inflicting on children.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws, to be tabled in parliament next week, were aimed at mitigating the "harm" social media was inflicting on Australian children.

"This one is for the mums and dads... They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online. I want Australian families to know that the government has your back," he said.

While many of the details are yet to be debated, the government said the ban would not apply to young people already on social media.

There will be no exemptions on the age limit for children who have consent from their parents. The government says that the onus would be on social media platforms to show they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gzd62g1r3o

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