I know several of our members “down under” contribute so much to our site, its a surprise no one has picked up on this
I am not a fan of social media, never use it myself.
So good or bad move and will other countries follow
The start of big brother controlling our use…..
The so called “social media” is a side effect of the digital life.
I barely can imagine anything more harmful than this is, and I welcome the ban.
Actually Greece made this a similar step sooner, but that wasn’t on the news so world-wide.
As for privacy concerns for age detecting: please think once more about privacy concerns of the social media itself! The tracking functions of facebook!
BB is already there, it just changes its name now… 
How will I know what you had for breakfast without this tool ?
I am sat in an airport about to fly and the number of young people taking self portraits by the cafe, bar, xmas décorations is out of this world. This is why we need so much power to stock the images and transmit them around. Waste of time effort and computer resources.
It’s not about YOU knowing my breakfast, if I don’t post about it.
But about facebook (google as well) itself knowing my preferences, habits, and intelligently feed me with the most effective ads/news/contents so I can’t withstand to pay my attention.
This is what a friend (having 3 children) told me many years ago: if there’s no picture about something on the facebook, that thing did not happen at all.
And he meant it serious! I bet those young people feel the same, they need to share to tell everyone they’re happy, otherwise they aren’t happy really. (If you want my opinion, this is a kind of mental illness, but I’m not a doctor).
BTW. I asked then my friend, whether he has pictures about the procreations of his children on facebook, and where do I have to look for them… or if that did not happen, how can those little rascals playing in the garden now? 
I’m 100% in favour of it…
Get the little scumbags off their smartphones and tablets…
Make their smartphones into dumb phones - I’m in favour of kids having mobile phones - but they should just have Nokia bricks for dialling out and receiving calls…
Bugger it - don’t give it back (socials) to them at 18 either - wait till they’re 21 
Yes, in Australia it is taking effect today.
It will be an interesting trial, with the whole world watching.
How will they measure success? I rather suspect that our government will be interested in political success, rather than in helping youth.
For something to succeed in Australia it has to pass the “pub test”. I think in this case it has passed. There is tremendous support for doing something to stop cyber bullying and other nasties. We believe in our young people. We want them to grow up in a clean environment.
The legislation is necessary, but if it succeeds it will be because of grass roots support for the concept. It is the people who are leading, the legislation is only a reflection of what the silent majority want.
There, see what I mean about the depth of public feeling.
We all have that drive to share thoughts and events. … but sane people moderate it … they are selective. … what they share depends on their motives or intentions.
Unselective out of control sharing may well be a mental disease.
Oh yes, with friends. Not with everyone!
Maybe I’m wrong, I think this is because I’m told be a “boomer” - whatever this means, I accept.
I don’t see the sense of a lots of things the young people do nowadays.
Sharing every moment on facebook/instagram/tiktok is among these things.
I’m getting old.
In Australia it would mean “baby boomer” … the generation born after WW2. They were born into a happy expanding world with tremendous opportunitues.
I am before that generation… I was born during the war. They are more conservative.
Thanks, I realy didn’t know that.
I was born in 1971, so that’s quite after the WW2.
I’m a boomer then? Yeah, today I learnt something 
According to Wikipedia you actually belong to the next generation called Generation X.
But you are welcome company to be with us “baby boomer – 1946-1964”
Is that allowed ?
My daughter would not even put her washing outside, in case it got stolen
Perhaps that would be a more interesting subject. Today I had porridge and tomorrow I am going to have porridge……. Exciting life.
I think it is really the generation of our parents that has the grestest influence on our personal development and outlook.
Baby boomers thrived in the 1950’s and 60’s because their parents lives were tempered by the depression and the war. You appreciate good times when you are aware that things were once worse.
I am against it. it is too 1984 for my liking
Seems almost the opposite of 1984 to me…
i.e. instead of “big brother” - we have massive social networks run and owned by oligarchs collecting data - i.e. monitoring us…
If they can’t collect it from minors… they can’t monitor minors… are they the new “proles”?
Its never clearly stated in Orwell’s 1984 - what type of government Big Brother is… It could be authoritarian capitalist…
As for the discussion of boomers and GenX…
First time I ever read about “Generation X” was in a Time Magazine article - in the early 1990’s - and - I was part of GenX according to that article… But seems eventually the end date for the Baby Boomer generation was pushed out a couple of years - so going by the generally accepted current “view” - I’m a “baby boomer”… But I think of myself more as Gen X… I’m sure Gen X have similar views about children and smartphones and social media as Baby Boomers…
not what i have seen. I fully believe this is a over reach of power . Parents need to parent. I can not will not have my privacy get taken away. A lot of Boomers that i know raising the issue. Calling out the that power grab a over reach
Yeah, I dont see the distinction between boomers and gen x. The pre-war generation ( my parents) were different… spending most of your adult life in the depression and the war changed people. The Millenials are different because of technology… that is the issue here… can we mitigate the undesirable effects of technology on young people and still retain its benefits?
We have not done well so far with chemical technology (drugs, toxic chemical use, pollution). Lets see how we go with digital technology?
And now
Never tried to class people by this method…..
same for upper, middle or lower working class,
and not to mention white or blue collar workers (think that got banned with PC)
and for me. I am Peter Pan ! I dont want to grow up or go to school, work etc.