Australia is going to ban the use of social media for children under the age of 16, bringing to light the harmful effects of social media on children. The country's government is thinking of introducing a law in this regard.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws would be tabled in Parliament next week. It aims to reduce the 'harm' of social media on Australian children.

He further said in this regard, 'This is being done for mothers and fathers. They, like me, are concerned about children's safety online. I want Australian families to know that the Government is with them.'

However, there are arguments for and against this. However, the government said the ban would not apply to youth who are already on social media. And there will be no age relaxation for children who have obtained consent from their parents. This responsibility will be on the social media platform. They will take reasonable steps to prevent access. However, users will not be penalized. Australia's online regulator - the e-Safety Commissioner - will regulate this depending on the enforcement of the law.

After the law is passed, however, it will take 12 months for it to come into force. And it will be reviewed later after it becomes effective. However, most experts agree that social media platforms can harm the mental health of teenagers.

But some experts argue that the ban will only delay exposure of young people to apps like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, rather than teaching them how to navigate complex online spaces. One of the largest advocacy groups working on children's rights in Australia has criticized the proposed ban as a 'blunt instrument'. Instead of bans, they claim, the focus should be on imposing 'safety standards' on social media platforms.