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Apple's Tim Cook praises Australia's under-16 social media ban as 'world-leading' after meeting Australian PM

From the Newshound archive · first published 20 September 2026 · last updated 21 September 2026.

Anthony Albanese and Tim Cook, who left the Apple CEO role after 15 years, as Cook lauded Australia's under-16 social media ban — the first such restriction in the world — as world-leading.
Anthony Albanese and Tim Cook, who left the Apple CEO role after 15 years, as Cook lauded Australia's under-16 social media ban — the first such restriction in the world — as world-leading.

Tim Cook, who left the Apple CEO role after 15 years, sat down with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Apple Park in California, lauding Australia's landmark social media ban as world-leading. Australia was the first country in the world to prohibit social media use by under-16s, doing so in December, and the European Commission has since proposed a similar restriction for children under 13. Cook wrote on X that he valued the opportunity to show Albanese "strong and intuitive controls to help keep kids safe online." Albanese also called for a global framework on AI, warning that humans must remain in control of the technology.

Australia has since gone further this month, letting social media users choose what content appears in their feeds.

Albanese's push for AI regulation stands in sharp contrast to President Trump's view that further regulation is not needed.

Industry leaders in the US remain divided over the pace of development of increasingly powerful AI technology, with a safety debate roiling Silicon Valley.

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