MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian government on Thursday announced what it described as world-leading legislation that would introduce an age limit of 16 for children to start using social media and put the onus on platforms to ensure that this law is respected.

“Social media is harming our children and I am putting a stop to it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

The legislation will be presented to Parliament during its last two weeks of session this year, which begins on November 18. The age limit will come into effect 12 months after the law is passed, Albanese told reporters.

Platforms such as X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook are expected to use this year to determine how to exclude Australian children under 16.

“I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They, like me, are very concerned about our children’s safety online,” Albanese said.

The proposal comes as governments around the world grapple with how to oversee young people’s use of technology such as smartphones and social media.

Social media platforms would be penalized for violating the age limit, but not minor children and their parents.

“The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate that they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus will not be on parents or young people,” Albanese said.

Antigone Davis, head of security at Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company would respect any age limits the government wants to introduce.

“However, what is missing is a deeper discussion about how we implement the protections, otherwise we risk feeling better, like we took action, but teens and parents won’t find themselves in a better place,” Davis said in a statement.

She added that more powerful tools in app stores and operating systems that allow parents to control what apps their children can use would be a “simple and effective solution.”

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. TikTok declined to comment.

The Digital Industry Group Inc., an advocate for Australia’s digital industry, described the age limit as a “20th century answer to 21st century challenges.”

“Rather than blocking access with bans, we need to take a balanced approach to creating age-appropriate spaces, developing digital literacy and protecting young people from online dangers,” said Sunita Bose, chief executive of DIGI, in a press release.

More than 140 Australian and international academics with expertise in areas related to technology and child protection signed an open letter to Albanese last month opposing an age limit on social media, the calling it “too brutal an instrument to effectively manage risks”.

Jackie Hallan, director of youth mental health service ReachOut, opposed the ban. She said 73 per cent of young Australians accessing mental health support did so through social media.

“We are not comfortable with the ban. We think young people are likely to circumvent a ban and our concern is that it actually leads to clandestine behavior and that if things go wrong young people are less likely to get support from their parents and guardians because they’re afraid of getting in trouble,” Hallan said.

Child psychologist Philip Tam said a minimum age of 12 or 13 would have been more restrictive.

“Honestly, my real fear is that the social media problem will just be pushed underground,” Tam said.

Faith Gordon, a lawyer at the Australian National University, worried that separating children from these platforms could create pressure within families.

Albanese said there would be exclusions and exemptions in circumstances such as the need to continue access to educational services.

But parental consent would not allow a child under 16 to access social networks.

Earlier this year, the government launched a trial of age restriction technologies. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, the online watchdog that will enforce the rules, will use the results of this trial to provide platforms with advice on reasonable steps they can take.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the one-year delay would ensure the age limit could be implemented in a “very practical way”.

“We need to strengthen sanctions to ensure compliance,” Rowland said.

“Any business operating in Australia, whether domiciled here or elsewhere, is expected and must comply with Australian law or face consequences,” she added.

The main opposition party has given its support in principle for an age limit of 16.

Opposition lawmaker Paul Fletcher said platforms already had the technology to enforce such an age ban.

“It’s not really a question of technical viability, it’s a question of their willingness to do it and the cost they will incur to do it,” Fletcher told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“The platforms are saying: ‘It’s too hard, we can’t do it, Australia will become a lost country, it probably won’t work.’ But if you have well-written legislation and you stick to your guns, you can get results,” Fletcher added.