Albanese Backs Raising Social Media Age Limit To Protect Young Australians

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has supported raising the legal age of consent to register on social media from 13 to 16, expressing significant concerns about the mental health of young Australians.

This comment, backed by a nationwide campaign, attempts to shield kids from the negative impacts of excessive internet use and social media demands.

"What we want is our youngest Australians spending more time outside playing sport, engaging with each other in a normal way and less time online," Albanese told Nova FM radio on Tuesday, according to The Guardian. "And one way to do that is through restrictions on social media."

Some worry that tighter age restrictions and verification might make it more difficult to access beneficial online groups or instructional materials, even when they could reduce exposure to bad information. The next NSW conference proposes a cooperative strategy to create solutions that safeguard kids without cutting off their connection to the digital world completely.

Social media may be seductive and it can be difficult to detach from it and participate in real-world activities. Child psychiatrist Dr. Tam even argues that social media platforms could be intentionally made to get people hooked.

According to NSW Premier Chris Minns, "the statistics are troubling...rates of self-harm doubled for girls between 15 and 19 [from 2008 to 2022]." Let Them Be Kids, a News Corp Australia campaign urges action in response to the association between studies and self-harm. "We want to ensure that any measures implemented are successful," Prime Minister Albanese stated, addressing worries about age verification being circumvented.