The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, through their Archewell Foundation, have issued a statement applauding Australia’s recent legislative move to ban social media platforms for children under the age of 16.
The landmark Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill, which took effect on December 10, makes Australia the first country to implement such a ban, targeting platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, and X.
The statement highlighted Australia’s leadership in addressing concerns over the impacts of social media on young people, citing the legislation’s strong public support and significant fines—up to AUD$50 million—for companies that fail to comply.
While praising the law as a crucial step toward protecting children from unsafe and addictive online environments, the Archewell Foundation emphasized that the legislation is a "band aid" solution. They stressed the need for broader reforms to tackle the underlying issues in social media design and business practices that exploit young users.
"Protecting children at a critical moment in their development sends a strong signal that a child’s mind is not a commodity to be exploited," the statement read. They acknowledged that while the law buys valuable time for children, it does not address the deeper, systemic problems within social media platforms.
