A campaign to block children’s access to social media to limit online harms and unhealthy internet use is picking up momentum in Australian politics . The current age limit for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok is 13, but some state governments are calling to raise this age to 16 . Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed these efforts , and the federal opposition has committed to introducing laws that will bar under 16-year-olds from social media.
These calls are among the latest attempts to control how young people engage with culture. From banning children’s books, to limiting television screen time , and rating music, movies and videogames, society often turns to government regulation to address moral panics. Yet, critics explain the desire to control children’s access is “ not really backed by robust science ”.
They raise privacy concerns about uploading personal documents (like passports) and providing details unrelated to age (like credit card numbers) to technology companies . Critics also highlight the social and informational benefits of online engagement, which may be lost if young people are banned. These criticisms are valid, as age assurance technologies have a long way to go to address these concerns.
Many online sites currently rely on age gating , where users self-report their age. This can easily fail. Children under 13 can provide fake birthdates to create social media accounts.
And teenagers can simply tap “yes” when asked .
