SYDNEY, OCT 10 – A summit on the impact of social media on Australian children and national proposals to impose a strict minimum age limit began in Sydney today.
The first of its kind Social Media Summit brings together experts, policy makers, academics, youth and community voices to discuss the positive and negative impact of social media on people’s lives.
Co-hosted by the state governments of New South Wales and South Australia, the conference is in line with the government’s intention to consider a minimum age requirement to use social media.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced in September that legislation for the age limit would be introduced to parliament before the end of 2024. He said that the government was consulting on an age limit between 14 and 16 and the priority was to set it at 16. .
Speaking at the summit, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said research carried out by her office found 84 per cent of Australian children aged eight to 12 were active on social media despite being under the 13-year age limit set by media companies. social.
“Given Australia’s population of approximately 1.6 million children aged 8-12, this suggests that approximately 1.34 million have used online services since the beginning of 2024,” Grant said.
Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, has announced the findings of a major nationwide survey which found 87 per cent of respondents supported the implementation of age restrictions for social media use.
In late October, a US$4.3 million government-funded trial of age verification technology to create social media accounts will go live. – Xinhua
