New parental controls to be rolled out by Apple were inspired by the Albanese Government’s world-leading online safety laws.
Following his keynote speech at WWDC26, Apple CEO Tim Cook briefed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the changes, which he said were in part inspired by Australia’s world-leading social media age ban, as well as the continued research Apple is undertaking into the impact of social media on kids.
Since the social media minimum age law started, more than 5 million under-16s social media accounts have been removed or deactivated.
The Albanese Government and eSafety Commissioner continue to work together to hold big tech to account and protect kids from the dangers of social media and other online harms.
Tech companies must comply or face fines of up to $49.5 million.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, Anika Wells:
“The Australian Parliament is a long way from Apple HQ, yet we’re seeing just how far the impact of our world-leading online safety laws can reach.
“The Albanese Government’s social media minimum age law sparked a global conversation about the urgent need to protect our kids online.
“Our vision is that, just like car manufacturers and airlines, tech companies will be competing to prove their safety credentials, giving parents choice and peace of mind.
“Parents want to know their kids are safe online – and I welcome the effort of Apple in adding another tool to their belts.
“The next step is to legislate our digital duty of care, which puts the onus on tech companies to build safety in from the start.”
Quotes attributable to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant:
“We have been encouraged by the safety improvement journey Apple has been on over the past two years – it’s good to see an industry leader taking additional steps and listening to what we and other experts have been saying for some time.
“We know that parents remain the front line of defence when it comes to keeping their kids safer online, so we also welcome Apple’s efforts to redesign and simplify its Screen Time tools to make them more intuitive and usable.
“It’s important to understand that children aged 13+ will still be able to click through and view images of violence and gore without parental consent, so it remains essential that parents continue to talk to children about their experiences on their devices.”
