Carol Berry (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications. How is the Albanese Labor government's social media age restriction helping to protect young people online? What has been the response?

Anika Wells (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Sport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Whitlam for her question. The Albanese government is proudly leading the world in our mission to protect our kids from the persuasive and pervasive pull of social media. In the wake of 4.7 million accounts being deactivated, removed or restricted in the first week of our social media laws, leaders from across the globe are now following in Australia's footsteps—because the battle to protect young people online transcends the boundaries of any country or continent. In the lead-up to and after 10 December, I met with leaders from across the globe and the political spectrum who are inspired and encouraged by Australia's courage and conviction to take on big tech.

In recent days, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has committed to protecting Spanish children from the 'digital Wild West' by delaying access to social media until the age of 16 years old. Joining Australia in our mission, he recognised that children are being 'exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone'. He said:

We will no longer accept that. We will protect them …

President Emmanuel Macron said consensus was being shaped on the need to protect future generations, with French lawmakers passing a bill delaying access to social media until the age of 15. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is looking closely at Australia's social media law, and I look forward to meeting with the British Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall, to share our experiences and our success. Our friend across the ditch, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, is deeply supportive of delaying access to social media until the age of 16, and they are preparing to introduce their own laws. Denmark is standing up to the social media giants with its own minimum age laws, saying:

The cell phone and social media are robbing our children of their childhood.

Norway is putting a stop to tech companies that are 'pitted against small children's brains', enforcing a minimum age of 15. The list continues with Malaysia, the Czech Republic, Romania and Egypt, and I expect other countries will now follow as Australia's waves ripple across the globe.

As American social psychologist Professor Jonathan Haidt said, Australia's law 'is by far the most important single piece of legislation ever enacted on planet Earth to protect children in the internet age'. We stared down everybody who said it couldn't be done—some of the most powerful and rich companies in the world and their supporters—and now Australian parents can be confident their kids can have their childhood back. The world is looking to Australia and the action that we are taking. We will not back down from this fight. We are proud to be leading the world in making the digital world safer for our kids.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I'm just asking members on my left to show some restraint, particularly on the topic that we're discussing in the parliament.

Manager, can you just control yourself? I want to bring the House back to order, and, when you stop, we will show the member for Ryan respect—well, try hard to show respect.