Australia bans social media for under-16 kids
Canberra [Australia], December 10,2025: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday that the social media ban for children under the age of 16 is now in place in Australia, making it the first country in the world to “give it a crack”. Highlighting the challenges faced by both parents and children from the impact of social media, Albanese said it was a step towards peace of mind for parents and children, allowing them to experience childhood.In a message, Australian PM Anthony Albanese said, “Across Australia, those under 16 are starting their day a little differently- without social media. It’s a big change and we’re the first country in the world to give it a crack. But it really matters.””Algorithms, endless feeds, and pressures no generation before has had to deal with. Today’s change is about supporting you to keep your children safe online. Putting the responsibility right where it belongs- on the social media giants, not on parents”, he said.”By banning social media for those under 16, we’re giving children a childhood and parents more peace of mind”, the Australian PM added.
In another video message, he said, “This is the day when Australian families are taking back power from these big tech companies and they are asserting the right of kids to be kids and for parents to have greater peace of mind.”
According to UNICEF Australia, as of December 10, “anyone under 16 in Australia won’t be able to keep or make accounts on social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and more.”While the rule does not punish young people or their families, it places the onus on social media companies to prevent under-16s from creating accounts or risk serious fines (up to about $50 million).The decision follows after the Australian Government passed a new law called the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 on November 28 last year.The law introduces a mandatory minimum age of 16 for accounts on certain social media platforms and parents cannot give their consent to let under-16s use these platforms.Citing the government, UNICEF Australia highlighted that the social media ban is needed to protect the mental health and well-being of Australian children and teens from the risks posed by social media, such as cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators, which outweigh the positives.UNICEF Australia further noted that applications such as Messenger Kids, WhatsApp, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom and YouTube Kids are not expected to be a part of the ban.
New Delhi, Sep 21: Global workforce is not able to keep up with the current rate of change that emerging technologies are bringing to workplace, and nearly two billion youth worldwide stand to be left behind, says a Deloitte report.
Around 1.8 billion global youth are between the ages of 15 and 29, and the fourth industrial revolution will significantly shape their roles as the future workers, consumers, and competitors.
The fourth industrial revolution is bringing emerging technologies to the forefront at a rapid pace. It is transforming the type of work people do, and how it is done, the report said, adding that “in particular, 1.8 billion youth worldwide stand to be left behind by the changes”.
“When it comes to addressing the opportunities and challenges of the Fourth Industry Revolution, I believe we need a new mindset for action to ensure we are preparing now for the workforce of the future,” says David Cruickshank, Deloitte Global Chairman.
By 2030, Deloitte Global and the Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education) predicts that more than half of the almost two billion youth worldwide will not have the skills or qualifications needed to participate in the workforce.
The report jotted down four key recommendation to drive change — companies should align stakeholders’ objectives and approaches; businesses should engage in public policy; they should develop strong talent strategies and invest in workforce skilling.
The report noted that the business community must take a more proactive role in preparing today’s youth to ensure that they are ready to become the workforce of tomorrow.
“If we can find ways to enhance young people’s ability to harness these technologies through critical thinking and creativity, we will lay the foundations of success for millions of young people. At the heart of the issue is quality education and training,” said Sarah Brown, Founder and Executive Chair of GBC-Education.