Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday the government will legislate to ban social media for children under 16, a policy the government says is world-leading.

“Social media is harming our children and it takes time,” Albanese told a news conference.

The legislation will be introduced in parliament this year, with the laws coming into force 12 months after they are ratified by MPs, he added.

There will be no exemptions for users who have parental consent.

“The onus will be on the social media platforms to demonstrate that they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access,” Albanese said. — The burden will not fall to the parents or the youth.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said platforms affected would include Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Facebook, as well as TikTok and Elon Musk’s X. Alphabet’s YouTube will also likely fall under the scope of the legislation, she added.