The Australian government announced Thursday what they called a world-leading law that will set an age limit for children of 16 to begin using social media. Platforms are also responsible for compliance.

Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, said: “Social media harms our children and I am calling it a stop.”

The bill will be introduced during the final two weeks of Parliament, starting on November 18, this year. Albanese, a reporter, told reporters that the age limit will be in effect 12 months after it is passed.

In order to exclude Australian children under 16, platforms such as X, TikTok and Facebook will need to be used in that year.

I’ve talked to a lot of people, including parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. “They, like me are concerned sick about the safety our children online,” Albanese stated.

This proposal comes at a time when governments all over the world are grappling with how to supervise youth’s use and misuse of technology like smartphones and social networks.

Social media platforms that violate the age limit would be penalized, but children underage and their parents will not.

The onus will fall on the social media platforms themselves to prove that they have taken reasonable measures to prevent access. Albanese stated that the onus will not be on parents or youth.

Antigone Davis from Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram said that the company will respect any age restrictions the government wishes to introduce.

Davis stated in a press release that “what’s missing” is a more in-depth discussion about how to implement protections. Otherwise, we may feel better and think we are doing something, but parents and teens will not be in a better position.

She said that better tools in the app stores and operating system for parents to control which apps their children can access would be “a simple and effective solution.”

X didn’t immediately respond to a comment request on Thursday. TikTok refused to comment.

The Digital Industry Group Inc. in Australia, a proponent of the digital industry, has described the age restriction as “a 20th Century answer to 21st Century problems.”

Sunita BOSE, DIGI’s managing director, said that rather than imposing bans on access, we should take a more balanced approach in order to create spaces for young people, promote digital literacy, and protect them from harm online.

Over 140 Australian and international academics who have expertise in technology and child welfare fields signed an open message to Albanese, last month. They opposed a social media limit because it was “too blunt a tool to effectively address risks.”

Jackie Hallan is a director of the youth mental-health service ReachOut. She opposes the ban. She stated that 73% of Australian youths who sought mental health help used social media.

“We are uncomfortable with the prohibition. Hallan stated that he believes young people will circumvent the ban.

Philip Tam, a child psychologist, said that a minimum of 12 or 13 years old would have been easier to enforce.

Tam expressed his concern that social media would be pushed underground.

Professor Associate of the Australian National University. Faith Gordon was concerned that separating children from their platforms would create pressures in families.

Albanese stated that there will be exemptions and exclusions depending on the circumstances, such as a requirement to continue to access educational services.

A child under the age of 16 would still need parental permission to use social media.

In the first half of this year, government officials began testing age-restriction technologies. The eSafety commissioner, Australia’s online watchdog, which will enforce compliance, will use results from the trial to give platforms guidance on reasonable steps that they can take.

Michelle Rowland, Communications Minister, said that the one-year lead-in period would allow the age limit to be implemented “in a very practical way.”

Rowland stated that “there is a need for enhanced penalties to ensure compliance.”

She added that “every company operating in Australia is expected to comply with Australian laws or face the consequences.”

The main opposition party supports a 16-year-old age limit in principle.

Paul Fletcher, a member of the opposition party, said that the platforms already have the technology necessary to enforce an age restriction.

Fletcher said to Australian Broadcasting Corp., “It is not a question about technical viability. It’s more a matter of whether they are willing to take the risk and incur costs to do so.”

Fletcher said: “The platforms say that it’s too difficult, we can’t make it work, Australia will be a backwater. It won’t possible work. But if you write well-drafted legislation, and stick to it, you can achieve the results.”