Experts hail Australia's plan to ban social media for under 16s as a 'momentous step'.

The Australian government has proposed a social media ban for kids under 16, which experts have called a "significant move," as parents worldwide urge tech companies to be more regulated.

This year, the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, announced that the legislation will be introduced into parliament, with the law taking effect 12 months after it is approved by lawmakers.

The trial of age-verification systems to restrict children's access to social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X is anticipated.

Dany Elachi, co-founder of the Heads Up Alliance, expressed his satisfaction as their efforts to delay smartphone and social media use for children are finally being recognized.

Online safety educators criticized us for being insular and extreme, but they had a vested interest in maintaining that position. Many of them have financial ties to Big Tech, Elachi stated.

Parents are the ones who understand the harm that social media is inflicting on our children. Despite this, we refused to give up on our kids and are now on the brink of reclaiming childhood, which has been taken away for 15 years.

Meta, TikTok, and X have been contacted by CNBC for comment on the impact of social media on young people's mental health. Instagram launched "Teen Accounts" in September in an effort to address this issue.

Australia's legislation is a "significant move" and will position the country as a "world leader in safeguarding children's online well-being," according to Zach Rausch, a research scientist at the NYU Stern School of Business and the lead author of the No.1 New York Times bestselling book "The Anxious Generation."

He emphasized that age restrictions are "obvious" and pointed out that we have them for operating vehicles and purchasing alcohol and cigarettes.

Under Australian law, social media platforms would be fully liable for preventing access to children, with no consequences for the children or their parents if they violate the law.

Parents 'cannot do it on their own'

Managing a child's social media use can be challenging for parents, according to Daisy Greenwell, co-founder of U.K.-based Smartphone Free Childhood.

Greenwell stated that parents bear the full responsibility of safeguarding their children, but many of them are too preoccupied with securing the next meal to effectively navigate the intricate realm of parental controls.

Greenwell's Smartphone Free Childhood is one of several organizations globally that connect parents who aim to keep their children away from smartphones and social media. These include Wait Until 8th in Austin, Unplugged in Canada, and No Es Momento in Mexico.

Parents claim it's challenging to protect their children from peer pressure in schools without any laws or regulations.

Rausch stated that the main responsibility for dealing with the addictive nature of certain products should fall on their creators and sellers, rather than on parents and children who are constantly surrounded by these devices and find it difficult to resist their allure.

"Numerous parents worldwide are struggling to keep their children safe online. Without proper supervision, they are unable to succeed."

'A 20th-century response to 21st-century challenges'

Some people believe that an outright social media ban may not be the best solution for children.

Last week, the Digital Industry Group, an Australian not-for-profit organization, stated in a press release that a ban could jeopardize young people's digital literacy abilities.

DIGI's managing director, Sunita Bose, stated in a release that ensuring the safety of young people online is a top priority for both parents and platforms.

"The proposed ban on teenagers accessing digital platforms is a 21st-century response to 20th-century challenges. Instead of restricting access through bans, we should take a balanced approach to create age-appropriate spaces, promote digital literacy, and safeguard young people from online harm."

Young people will attempt to access social media regardless, through unregulated methods that may compromise privacy and security.

"While swimming carries risks, we don't prohibit young people from swimming at the beach, but instead teach them how to swim safely. Similarly, banning teenagers from social media could lead them to unsafe online activities and fails to provide them with the necessary digital literacy skills for the future," Bose stated.

Rausch from NYU contended that children can still connect with others and acquire digital literacy skills through internet access and various communication tools such as Zoom, FaceTime, texting, and calling, without being exposed to addictive social media platforms.

Greenwell concurred, stating that young people will quickly grasp social media since it is designed to be user-friendly.

Greenwell stated that the video of a monkey using Instagram is designed to be user-friendly and easy to learn in a short amount of time. He predicted that young people would follow suit once they turned 16, as their brains would be better equipped to handle it.

"There's no need for kids to practice using social media, which is not designed with their developmentally sensitive brains in mind, and we should not encourage them to have sex or drink alcohol before they're of age," she stated.