WATCH LIVE: Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant fronts National Press Club as social media ban for under-16s looms

Sky News AU

7 hours ago

Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant is addressing the National Press Club as the government prepares to roll out its social media ban for under 16s.
The ban was passed through the parliament in November last year, but a 12 month delay was written into the legislation.
Ms Inman Grant recently said she was "surprised" by the Albanese government's decision to carve out YouTube from the social media ban.
An exemption was given after Sky News reported on the potential consequences of a YouTube ban on educational content providers.
"My job isn't to endorse the legislation. It's to enforce the rules," Ms Inman Grant told the ABC on Tuesday.
The legislation will make it illegal for children under 16 to access banned platforms unless they meet specific age verification criteria.
Social media companies will be threatened with $50 million fines for systematic failure to enforce the ban.
Platforms will bear the onus of responsibility, and no penalties will be enforced against underage users who bypass the restrictions.
The ban will come into effect 12 months after the legislation passed parliament in November 2024 and will not be grandfathered in.
This will impact millions of children and teenagers as some 97 per cent of youth use social media across an average of four platforms, surveys show.