Elon Musk has weighed in on Anthony Albanese’s proposed social media ban for under-16s, saying it appeared to be a sneaky way of allowing the government to control Australians online.
The billionaire X owner and Trump administration nominee responded to a post by Prime Minister Albanese on Thursday saying “TODAY: We’re introducing our bill to make 16 years the minimum age for social media.”
“Seems like a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians,” Musk said in a quote post.
Seems like a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians https://t.co/694yCzWOaB
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 21, 2024
Mr Albanese’s post also attracted a Community Note which read: “This bill will require identity or age verification for all Australians to use social media, including adults. The government confirmed this is the only way to enforce it.”
Musk’s response came amid massive pushback against the Labor bill by everyday Australians and a number of senators who are fighting the legislation. The Liberal-National Coalition is supporting the bill.
Entrepreneur and free speech advocate Matt Barrie replied to Mr Albanese’s post by writing “a dark day in Australia” along with a meme referencing George Orwell’s 1984, while dozens of others simply said “we don’t want this”.
Labor and the Liberals, the “Uniparty”, are rushing through a Bill to ban kids under 16 from social media. But this isn’t just about kids and the internet.
This is a dangerous step toward greater government control over every part of your life. While digital ID legislation… pic.twitter.com/HN9N3HOjom
— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) November 21, 2024
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also spoke out against the bill, which she said was being rushed through parliament by the two major parties.
“This is a dangerous step toward greater government control over every part of your life. While digital ID legislation already exists in Australia and is claimed to be “voluntary,” this Bill could become the tool Labor and the Liberals use to force Australians into using this system by requiring every adult to go through an identity and age verification process just to functionally use the internet,” she said.
“It’s not about protecting kids, it’s about creating the framework to monitor, track, and control how every Australian interacts online
“The Albanese Government, backed by Dutton’s Coalition, wants to strip parents of their rights to decide what’s best for their children. They’ve turned their backs on democracy, pushing through legislation without debate or scrutiny, just to tighten their grip on your freedom.”
Ms Hanson added that if the major parties really cared about protecting kids they would focus on radical gender ideology in schools and harmful and irreversible “gender-affirming care”.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts wrote: “For the under 16 social media ban to work, everyone will have to scan their face or use a Digital ID. Throw it in the bin.”
TODAY: We’re introducing our bill to make 16 years the minimum age for social media.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 20, 2024
The federal government introduced the bill on Thursday, revealing that major platforms Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat will be banned for children and teenagers under 16, while YouTube and WhatsApp will be exempt.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, who is also the architect of Labor’s even-more controversial misinformation bill, said the legislation was about protecting children.
Senators pushed for an inquiry in order to give the bill more scrutiny, but the government and opposition only allowed for one lasting three days.
