Albanese follows Dutton’s lead with tougher position on children’s social media ban

Anthony Albanese has labelled social media a “scourge” and strengthened his support for a ban on children accessing it, after Peter Dutton vowed a Coalition government would implement a ban for under-16s within 100 days if he wins the next election.

Albanese’s description of the influence of online platforms was a repeat of the term Dutton used earlier on Thursday in offering to work together to combat it.

The prime minister, who previously condemned the negative impact of social media on children but stopped short of directly endorsing a ban, has now stepped up his backing for restrictions, while noting the technology to enable them is still being developed.

“I want people to spend more time on the footy field or the netball court than they’re spending on their phones,” he told journalists who asked about Dutton’s comments. “And a ban, if it can be effective, is a good way to go.”

On Wednesday, the opposition leader announced a ban would be one of his highest priorities if he won office.

“I would put it at the top of my list for the first 100 days in government,” Dutton told Nova FM. “So, within the first three months we would introduce it, and it reflects the community values and where the view is for the vast majority of Australians at the moment. I can’t understand an argument against putting in place sensible measures.”

Appearing on the same Nova FM program last month, Albanese sympathised with parents and teachers concerned about social media’s influence on children’s activities and behaviour.

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He expressed support for a private petition being promoted by one of the program hosts, which called for social media accounts to be restricted to people aged 16 and over, and encouraged people to seek it out. He spoke about the government-funded trial of age-verification technology and said it aimed to enable greater restrictions on children’s access to damaging material online.

“I assure you I’m very supportive of the work that is taking place,” Albanese said at the time, declining to sign the petition because it was effectively directed at his government.

After signing the petition on Wednesday and promising a ban, Dutton called a news conference on Thursday morning to repeat his pledge and he challenged the prime minister to act immediately so both sides could “stand united against the scourge of social media”. He acknowledged the necessary technology was still being developed but said it was “trending in our favour”.

“It’s one of those issues that really should be approached on a bipartisan basis, and we’d be really happy to work with the prime minister and the government to see the outcome here, and send a very clear message that both sides of parliament stand united against the scourge of social media and its influences on young minds,” Dutton said.

Asked later about Dutton’s challenge, Albanese more firmly backed a ban and sharpened his language about the influence of social media.

“It is a scourge, it is negative, it is having a negative impact on young people’s mental health and on anxiety,” the prime minister said. “If you look at all of the figures then we have real issues to deal with.”

He accused the opposition leader of being a latecomer to the issue.

“This is Peter Dutton playing catchup … It’s good that he has caught up and I welcome him catching up.”

At an event with the South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, Albanese was asked about the premier’s move under state law to set a minimum social media age of 14. Albanese said he favoured 16 as the cutoff.

He said social media influence on children was the subject of parents’ conversations at after-school pickup around the country.

“Social media has a social responsibility,” he said. “They seem to think that their responsibility is just to make money.”