Ahead of the Australian Parliament’s expected passage of the groundbreaking legislation banning social media use for children under 16, YouGov’s latest public data poll reveals an overwhelming support across Australian society for the bill. The proposed law, which has received bipartisan support, has garnered international attention, with critics, including Elon Musk, voicing opposition.
YouGov survey found that 77% of Australians back the under-16 social media ban, a significant increase from the 61% support found in an August poll prior to the government's official announcement. Only 23% oppose the measure.
In addition, 87% of Australians support the introduction of stronger penalties for social media companies that fail to comply with Australian laws. This includes the new under-16 social media ban and other measures designed to ensure the safety of Australian users.
Paul Smith, YouGov Director of Public Data, stated, “Our poll shows strong support across all aspects of the government’s proposed social media regulations.
Australians are also overwhelmingly in favor of stronger penalties for companies that do not comply with Australian laws.”
Furthermore, 75% of Australians also indicated support for government's plan to introduce a “digital duty of care”, that would hold social media companies accountable for proactively protecting users from harmful online content.
Political Landscape: Dead Heat Between Major Parties
YouGov’s public data polling on voting intention in Federal election has a dead heat with a 50%-50% split on two party preferred vote. Primary vote is Labor 30%, Coalition 38%, Greens 13%, One Nation 9%, Others 10%.
Paul Smith, Director of Public Data, said, “Labor’s primary vote is down to 30%, eight points behind the Coalition at 38% which after preferences would produce a dead heat. Neither Labor nor the Coalition would be likely to receive a majority in the House of Representatives if an election was held today.”
The satisfaction for both party leaders once again remains negative. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holds a satisfaction rate of -20%, with 36% satisfied and 56% dissatisfied. Comparatively, the Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton’s score is less negative coming in at -8 (40% satisfied, 48 % dissatisfied).
Despite these ratings, Anthony Albanese remains the preferred Prime Minister, with 42% of Australians supporting him compared to 39% for Dutton. However, 19% of Australians do not express a preference for either leader.
Methodology: This survey was conducted between November 15th and 21st 2024 with a sample of 1515. Results are weighted to be representative of the population by age, gender, education, AEC region, household income, weighting by past vote (Federal vote and Voice referendum), with an effective margin of error of 3.2%. See Australian Polling Council methodology statement for full weightings.
