The company Australia wants to ban social media for under-16s

Australia wants to ban the use of online networks for children under the age of 16 by law. "This is for the moms and dads. Social media is really harming children and I'm putting an end to it," said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The responsibility to ensure the minimum age of users will fall to the tech giants and internet platforms - but not to parents concerned about their children's safety online, Albanese told media professionals on Thursday.

The responsibility "will not lie with parents or young people", explained the head of government. "There will be no penalties for users." New legislation to this effect will be presented to the heads of state and territory this week and introduced to parliament at the end of November.

Albanese had previously considered an age limit for online networks, but this is the first time he has mentioned a specific age. Earlier proposals received broad bipartisan support in Australia.

SDA