South Australian Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas has stated that there is a global movement underway to prevent underage individuals from accessing social media. Speaking on ABC Radio on September 9, the premier revealed that some areas already have measures in place, and now the Commonwealth is trialing it at the federal level. Malinauskas placed blame on social media companies for “industrializing the addiction” for their own benefit. He emphasized that this is what prompts governments to take action, and South Australia intends to lead the way with proposed legislation imposing severe penalties on social media companies if they allow under 14-year-olds to create accounts. The premier called for seven-figure fines for companies knowingly breaking the law.
Former High Court Chief Justice Robert French released a report on September 8, which includes a draft bill outlining a legislative framework for implementing a ban. The proposed legislation would also require parental consent for 14 and 15-year-olds to use social media platforms such as facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. These companies would be responsible for taking reasonable steps to prevent children from accessing their services.
Malinauskas highlighted international peer-reviewed research indicating that social media addiction is causing significant and long-lasting harm to children’s mental health. He argued that it is within the government’s purview to impose obligations on services profiting from addiction.
An age verification system could help sensitive industries avoid fines or reputation damage by blocking access to minors who should not be exposed to certain products or content online. The federal government allocated $6.5 million in its June budget to explore age assurance technologies’ effectiveness in curbing children’s exposure to inappropriate content on social media platforms. This initiative aims to assess whether these technologies can positively impact children’s mental well-being.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that this initiative was prompted by an increasing number of Australian parents advocating for a complete ban on social media use by children under 16 years old.
