Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday that his government has prepared a bill that would prevent children under 16 from using social media networks.

Albanese stated that he hopes the bill will come into effect early this year, emphasizing that he would prefer to see children spending their time “on playgrounds” rather than playing on mobile phones or tablets.

Describing social media as a “curse” for children, he confirmed that the federal bill he hopes to pass will set a minimum age for accessing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, ranging between 14 and 16 years old, according to the French Press Agency.

The Prime Minister explained that a verification test will be conducted to check the user’s age when accessing these sites in the coming months before the decision takes effect.