US billionaire Elon Musk, owner of social media platform X, has condemned Australia’s proposed law to ban social media access for children under 16, calling it “a backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians.”
The remarks came in response to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s announcement of the bill on X late Thursday.
Australia’s center-left government introduced the bill in parliament, outlining plans for an age-verification system to enforce one of the strictest social media regulations globally. Companies found in systemic breach of the proposed law could face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million).
The bill aims to curb social media use by children without exceptions for parental consent or pre-existing accounts. “This legislation sends a strong message about protecting the safety and well-being of our children online,” the government stated.
Several countries have introduced or proposed similar measures to restrict social media access for minors. France, for example, suggested a ban for those under 15 last year but allowed parental consent, while US law has long required tech companies to seek parental consent to access data of children under 13.
Musk’s comments add to his history of clashes with Australia’s Labor government over social media policies.
In April, X challenged an Australian cyber regulator‘s order to remove posts about a stabbing incident, leading Albanese to label Musk an “arrogant billionaire.” Musk had also previously criticised the government’s misinformation law, describing its approach as “fascist.”