Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook has described Australia’s approach to social media regulation as “world leading,” according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, following a meeting between the two at Apple Park in California. The discussion focused heavily on protecting children online, as Australia continues to expand its efforts to regulate how young people access social media and how digital platforms manage online safety.
Speaking after the meeting, Albanese said Cook had spent considerable time discussing Australia’s approach to social media and technology. “Tim Cook gave us a lot of time this morning. He regards the work that we’ve done on social media to be world-leading,” Albanese said. His comments highlighted the growing international attention surrounding Australia’s decision to impose stricter age restrictions on social media use.
Australia introduced its under-16 social media restrictions in December, making it the first country to implement such a nationwide age-based ban. The policy has placed greater responsibility on social media platforms to prevent children below the specified age from maintaining accounts. Australian authorities have continued strengthening enforcement measures since the rules came into effect, while the government has presented the policy as part of a broader effort to improve children’s safety in the digital environment.
The Australian government has also moved beyond age restrictions and is examining how social media feeds are designed and presented to users. In September, it released draft legislation that would give Australians greater control over the way content is recommended to them. Under the proposed “My Feed, My Way” system, users would be offered a choice about whether their default feeds use personalised algorithmic recommendations.
The move reflects a broader shift in the regulatory debate. Governments are increasingly examining not only who can access social media but also how platforms influence what users see. Recommendation algorithms can determine which posts, videos and other material appear most prominently, making questions about transparency, user choice and digital safety increasingly important in discussions about technology policy.
Cook’s comments come at a significant moment for Apple as the company has recently expanded its own parental-control and child-safety features. Apple introduced a new set of tools designed to give parents more control over the content children can access, the people they can communicate with and the amount of time they spend using different categories of apps. The company has also introduced changes to Screen Time and Communication Safety across its latest software platforms.
Albanese said Australia’s regulatory approach had influenced discussions within the technology industry. Earlier this year, he said Cook had told him that changes to Apple’s child-safety controls were partly inspired by Australia’s social media age restrictions and research into the effects of social media on children.
For Apple, the issue also reflects a changing relationship between technology companies and governments. Digital platforms have traditionally been able to establish many of their own policies concerning content, recommendation systems and parental controls. Increasing government intervention means companies are now facing greater pressure to demonstrate that their products meet legal and social expectations around safety.
Australia has argued that regulation is necessary because parents and individual users cannot always manage the risks created by large digital platforms on their own. The government has said its approach is intended to establish legally enforceable minimum safety standards while also giving Australians greater choice over their online experiences.
The Australian government says the social media restrictions have already resulted in millions of under-16 accounts being removed, deactivated or restricted. Officials have also pointed to the growing number of countries considering similar measures as evidence that concerns about children’s online experiences are becoming an international policy issue.
Europe is also moving in this direction. The European Commission has proposed measures that would restrict social media access for children under 13, while introducing additional parental controls for teenagers between 13 and 15. The proposal also addresses features such as personalised feeds, infinite scrolling and unsolicited contact from strangers. However, the European initiative still requires approval from the relevant European institutions before it can become law.
The debate is not limited to social media. Albanese used his visit to the United States to discuss the rapidly developing field of artificial intelligence and the need for safeguards as increasingly powerful systems become more widely available. He has argued that governments need to establish standards while ensuring that technological development does not move beyond effective human oversight.
“There is a need for a discussion about what the global framework is for the roll out of AI, because it is moving very quickly, and we need to make sure that humans remain in control,” Albanese told reporters.
His comments reflect a broader concern among policymakers about how quickly artificial intelligence is developing compared with the pace of regulation. Governments are now considering questions involving safety testing, transparency, accountability and the responsibilities of companies developing increasingly capable AI systems.
The discussion also comes shortly after Cook moved from Apple’s chief executive position into the role of executive chairman. John Ternus became Apple CEO on September 1, following a succession process announced earlier in the year. Cook’s new responsibilities include engagement with policymakers around the world, making his continued involvement in technology regulation particularly relevant.
