Australia plans to set a minimum age for children to access social media due to concerns about mental and physical health. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government would soon trial age verification technology before banning children from opening social media accounts later this year. He said the limit would likely be between the age of 14 and 16.

The age for users to create accounts on most social media platforms is generally 13 years old. This includes Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp etc. Some platforms require the consent of parents/guardians.

What the law says

Children can be held legally liable for their actions.

The law defines a child as “a person under the age of 18 years old”.

Children aged 7+ can be sued in the name of their parent or legal guardian under South African law, while those aged 11–18 can be sued in their own name with the assistance of a parent or guardian and are deemed to be legally liable for their actions. They can be sued civilly or charged criminally.

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