Australian government introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16

The ban will affect access to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X

‘The best way to protect children and young people online is by protecting all users with stronger data protection laws and not personalising feeds based on profiling’ - Nikita White

Responding to proposals by the Australian government to ban social media access for children under the age of 16, Nikita White, Amnesty International Australia Campaigner, said:  

“Rather than banning children and young people from social media, the Albanese government should regulate to enhance the protection of children’s privacy and personal data while prioritising their human rights.  

“The Government should put in place safeguards to ensure that content-shaping algorithms used by online platforms doesn’t use profiling by default.  

“There’s no doubt that the practices of social media platforms are harming young people's rights, but young people also have a right to express themselves online and seek information. Social media offers children and young people benefits such as inclusion, social connection and a sense of belonging, all of which can also support their mental health. 

“A total ban would put the burden of companies’ harmful business practices on young people instead of the companies causing the harm.

“Removing the benefits that social media brings will not achieve the Government’s objective of improving young people’s lives and ignores the fact that the harms extend beyond children and young people to marginalised people and groups.

“The best way to protect children and young people online is by protecting all users with stronger data protection laws and not personalising feeds based on profiling.”                                                            

Banning Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X 

The proposals aim to address the harms children and young people face on social media platforms and the ban will affect access to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X. 

Australia’s online regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, would be responsible for enforcing the laws if enacted. 

An age-verification system is being trialed as part of measures to prevent children from accessing social media platforms. 

Amnesty has previously stated that the surveillance-based models of TikTok, Meta and Google are fundamentally incompatible with privacy rights and cause systematic harm.