Australia has introduced legislation that could see social media platforms fined US$32.5m for falling to bar children from holding accounts.

The “landmark” bill seeks to ban children under the age of 16 from social media.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland told Parliament that, “Almost two-thirds of 14 to 17-year-old Australians have viewed extremely harmful content online, including drug abuse, suicide or self-harm.”

The bill has the support of the governing Labor Party and the opposition Liberals and, once it becomes law, platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restriction.