New laws to ban children from apps [Video]

Children will be blocked from social media under sweeping national plans to shield young people from online harm by mandating strict age barriers in federal law and punishing tech giants that break the rules.

Australia will move before the next election to a national regime to force tech platforms to enforce age verification. A final age is not yet settled but could be within the 13- to 16-year-old range.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce the plan on Tuesday after canvassing the proposal with state premiers on Friday, based on a South Australian proposal to ban social media for all children under the age of 14.

“Parents are worried sick about this. We know they’re working …