‘We are inspired’: European leaders back Australia’s under-16 social media ban

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European leaders have hailed Australia’s world-first move to limit young people’s access to social media, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he will consider ways that Australia could contribute to an international peacekeeping mission in postwar Gaza.

On the last day of his visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Albanese hosted an event at UN headquarters to promote Australia’s ban on children aged under 16 from operating social media accounts and to discuss other ways to prevent young people from being harmed by online bullying and radicalisation.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was inspired by Australia’s move to limit social media access for children under 16.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen praised Australia for the “bold decision” to seek to regulate children’s access to social media, hailing it as “an example of what determined countries can do”.

“Since the announcement of Australia’s landmark minimum age law, I’ve been watching very closely, and I’ve been inspired by Australia’s example,” the European Union’s top official told the event as she credited Albanese for staring down opposition from tech giants such as Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.

“We in Europe are watching and will be learning from you as you implement your world first and world-leading social media ban.”

Speaking as a mother and grandmother, Von der Leyen said she believed it was “plain common sense” to limit children’s access to social media and announced that she would assemble a panel of experts to study the issue.

“Our next generation needs us to step up to be daring and to give this a go,” she said.

Many EU member states are already keen to follow Australia’s example, she said.

The event was attended by leaders from Greece, Malta, Fiji and Tonga as well as dignitaries from the Philippines, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan.

The Australian ban on Australians operating social media accounts will come into effect on December 10.

Bathurst mother Emma Mason, whose 15-year-old daughter Tilly took her own life after being relentlessly bullied by classmates on social media, received a standing ovation for a speech describing how she had turned tragedy into a determination to create policy change.

Emma Mason speaks in New York, with a picture of her 15-year-old late daughter Tilly behind her.

“After Tilly died, I knew I needed to do something to protect the other Tillies,” Mason said.

“I implore leaders and nations of our great world to act, and act now.

“Making it illegal for children to access social media under 16 will improve lives. It will save lives. It was once said that all it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing. So it’s time to do something.”

Emma Mason said she did not want other children to suffer cyberbullying like her late daughter Tilly.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his government was seriously considering a minimum age for social media, and would work with Australia to implement it.

“As you pointed out, Prime Minister, it’s not going to be perfect, but we cannot use the difficulties in implementing these policies as an excuse not to do something about the problem,” Mitsotakis told Albanese.

“We are running the biggest unchecked experiment with our children’s brains ever.

“And we don’t know what the consequences will be, but we are pretty certain that this is not going to turn out well.”

Albanese told the event: “As social media evolves, and as the tug-of-war between real life and endless scrolling grows ever more uneven, the load is not one that should be borne by kids and their parents alone.

“With this law, we are saying: You don’t have to.”

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Albanese said he would consider ways that Australia could contribute to an international stabilisation force designed to replace the Israeli military in Gaza when the war ends and to help demilitarise Hamas.

“We’ll give consideration to that at an appropriate time,” Albanese said.

“What we want to see here’s a ceasefire, is the hostages released, is aid being allowed to go into Gaza unimpeded.”

French President Emmanuel Macron used a speech this week to lay out a plan for a UN-mandated international stabilisation force in postwar Gaza.

The proposal under consideration would include a UN peacekeeping force to provide security in Gaza as well as oversee the disarmament of Hamas and help train a Palestinian Authority police force.

Albanese reiterated that he would also “consider any proposal” for Australia to participate in a coalition of the willing peacekeeping force in Ukraine after the war there ends.

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