Australia has widespread political support for implementing age restrictions on social media. The primary opposition party announced this year that it aims to limit social media access to individuals aged 16 and above.

However a few specialists expressed concerns that the suggested restrictions may have unintended consequences.

Daniel Angus the director of the Digital Media Research Centre at the Queensland University of Technology in eastern Australia warned that prohibiting certain social media platforms such as Meta or TikTok could lead users to migrate to less monitored and less secure alternatives.

Toby Murray an associate professor of computing and information systems at the University of Melbourne commented on how social media platforms often serve as a place where young adolescents can connect with others in their age group.

Cutting off that platform from them he warned could isolate young users in marginalized communities from connecting with similar individuals.

Albanese stressed the importance of children avoiding online platforms for a more fulfilling life. I desire for children to experience a childhood.

In a video he expressed his desire for them to stop using their devices and start playing sports like football and netball popular in Australia.

Meta and TikTok did not provide comments on the matter immediately. Australia introduced new regulations in 2021 forcing internet firms like Google and Facebook to negotiate licensing deals with news outlets.