Social media age restrictions may push children online in secret, Australian eSafety commissioner says

Minors could also miss crucial support under a potential ban, online safety regulator's office tells inquiry

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Restricting children from social media could risk limiting their access to critical social support and could result in them accessing social media in secret, Australia's online safety regulator has warned.

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, this month said the Coalition would ban under 16s from social media within 100 days should they win the next election. The Albanese government is undertaking a $6.5m trial of age assurance technology and is assessing at what age children should be able to access social media as part of a wide-ranging parliamentary inquiry on social media and Australian society.

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