Protecting Children from Online Harm

The Coalition wants to help parents to prevent our kids from being exposed to dangerous material online.

A Coalition Government will lift the minimum age to access social media platforms from 13 to 16 years old within its first 100 days and introduce new age verification systems to ensure your kids' safety online.

Age verification reform offers a key solution to stopping children from accessing dangerous, violent and harmful material online.

Sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have fuelled cyberbullying, body image issues, and mental health concerns while profiting at the expense of young Australians.

The age limit of 13 is clearly too young, and regardless, social media sites do not enforce it.

Under a Coalition Government, any companies that do not comply with the age verification requirements will be penalised.

In March 2023, the eSafety Commissioner recommended the Government carry out a trial of age assurance technologies to prevent children from accessing pornography and other damaging online content.

The UK and several US states, such as Florida, have already legislated to introduce age verification measures focused on both pornography and social media. It is clear we need to move forward with similar legislation in Australia.

Child online safety is a defining issue of our time, and the Coalition will continue to do everything we can to keep our children safe.