Australian premier defends youth social media ban amid global praise

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday that Canberra's decision to ban social media for youth under 16 has been applauded by leaders worldwide.

His remarks followed a statement from Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg, who on Tuesday announced plans to work with US President-elect Donald Trump to "push back" against governments seeking stricter regulations on American tech companies.

"What we're doing is defending the rights of young Australians and defending Australian families," Albanese said during a televised interview, according to a transcript released by his office. "Our strong action is being watched right around the world because other leaders that I've spoken to have indicated that they applaud the fact that Australia has taken this action."

Last Nov., Australian lawmakers passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, making it the first country to impose such a ban.

The law, set to take effect later this year, will block children under 16 from accessing platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and X.

Zuckerberg accused foreign governments of unfairly targeting American tech firms and pushing for increased censorship.

"The only way that we can push back on this global trend is with the support of the US government, and that's why it's been so difficult over the past four years when even the US government has pushed for censorship," Zuckerberg said.