The federal government has announced a $6.5 million trial of age verification technology to crack down on child safety online.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also backed calls to go one step further and raise the minimum age for registering for social media accounts from 13 to 16 in an effort to address social media addiction, online bullying and exposure to graphic content,
The government’s announcement has been criticised by some parents, educators, and school bodies. Principals have claimed parents need to take accountability and monitor what their children are consuming on social media.
Mother of two Brooke Sullivan said she uses multiple apps to track her 10-year-old’s search histories, conversations, and social media use.
“I use apps to monitor everything my 10-year-old is doing online but I still can’t ensure I’m protecting him,” Ms Sullivan said.
New South Wales school advisory bodies said responsibility needs to be placed on parents.