Zimbabwe Speaker Calls For Strict Australia-Style Social Media Laws To Protect Youth

Jacob Mudenda Urges Hardline Social Media Controls For Youth Safety

Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has declared that Zimbabwe must consider adopting strict social media laws similar to those introduced in Australia to protect young people. He said many platforms were now “increasingly pornographic” and urged lawmakers to look closely at Australia’s model. His remarks were shared by the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.

The Ministry reported that Adv. Mudenda warned Parliament about the dangers facing young Zimbabweans online and said Zimbabwe needed to explore serious safeguards.

He added that the issue was not limited to young people alone.

The Ministry further quoted him saying: “While youth are vulnerable, broader societal factors also contribute to this problem.”

The comments come as Australia prepares to enforce one of the world’s toughest social media age restrictions on 10 December 2025, a move that has attracted global attention.

Australia’s Crackdown On Platforms Under 16

Australia will soon ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms. According to Al Jazeera, sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and Kick will all be restricted. The measures fall under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill passed on 28 November 2024.

Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters in Canberra:

“Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling control. We are asking that they use the same technology to keep children safe online.”

The eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said delaying access to social media could give children “valuable time to learn and grow”.

Penalties for failing to comply may reach US$32.1m (approximately R603.6m).

Concerns Over Enforcement And Global Implications

Critics in Australia have questioned how the age checks will be enforced. Some proposals involved ID checks, but officials indicated users cannot be forced to submit documents. Discussions continue with platforms to determine workable age-verification systems.
A report by The Guardian published on 20 July 2025 noted that new regulations may extend to app stores, search engines and even AI chatbots.

Other countries are watching closely as concerns about self-harm content, sexual material, cyberbullying and foreign influence continue to rise.