Plans by tech giant Meta to impose restrictions on teenage users on Instagram do not negate the need for a social media ban for young people, the communications minister says.
The federal government has outlined plans to introduce laws by the end of the year to ban young people from social media, citing mental health and safety concerns.
While an exact age has not been determined for the ban, age verification trials are under way to determine how moves to bar young people from social media platforms could be enforced.
It comes as Meta announced teenage users of its platform Instagram would have enhanced restrictions which would give parents more control and limiting sensitive content.
But Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said despite the moves from Meta, a broader crackdown on social media for young people was needed.
"Despite the fact that Meta has made this announcement, that doesn't obviate the need for us to take action in this space," she told Sky News on Sunday.
"While social media has many benefits, enables a lot of young people to connect where they otherwise might have been isolated, it comes with those harms."
Ms Rowland said work was ongoing to determine what age would be the limit given for the social media ban.
"There is a marked difference between age assurance as it applies to younger ages as opposed to higher ages," she said.
"It can also vary depending on ethnicity and also gender ... there's no off-the-shelf solution for this, which is why we've been very deliberate in making sure that we are looking at a range of ages and reaching one that is appropriate for the circumstances."
