Australia plans "world-leading" social media ban for children under 16

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday what he called a "world-leading" plan to implement a social media ban for all children under the age of 16. While much of the detail of the proposed legislation has yet to be made clear, the Australian leader said at a news conference that the bill involves an age verification process where "the onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access" to their platforms.

Under the proposed legislation, social media companies would face sizable fines for allowing younger children to access their platforms, but there would be no penalties for users or parents of users who ignore the law, the Australian government said in a statement. 

"Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," Albanese declared Thursday. "I've spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online, and I want Australian parents and families to know that the government has your back."