Australia's social media ban for under-16s sparks debate
China DailyBy Barry He in London | China Daily Global | Updated: 2024-12-02 11:18 A schoolboy looks at his phone in Melbourne on Nov 27, 2024 as Australia looks to ban children under 16 from social media. While many agree that social media can be harmful to the development of young people, a legally enforceable ban leaves many unsure of the consequences. Instead, it should be the responsibilities of big tech companies to regulate social media in a manner which is safe, measured and beneficial to young people without penalizing them. The ban in Australia comes at a time when the government is involved in a bitter dispute with Elon Musk regarding unrestricted and harmful social media content for minors. Australia's grip on social media has been slowly tightening for years, being the first country to introduce a royalty initiative in which social media companies must pay media outlets for sharing their content.