SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday social media firms would be required to destroy personal data used to verify ages of users, as part of what the government says is a world-leading ban on under-16s using the services.

Prime Minister Albanese explained the rationale behind the policy, emphasizing the harm social media is doing to young Australians.

Australia's House of Representatives has passed a bill that would ban children under the age of 16 from using most social media platforms.

Australia’s plan to ban social media for children under the age of 16 is expected to pass parliament within days after it was signed off in a truncated Senate inquiry, even as lawmakers from across the political divide expressed discomfort at the “rushed” nature of the bills.

Google and Facebook-owner Meta Platforms urged the Australian government on Tuesday to delay a bill that will ban most forms of social media for children under 16, saying more time was needed to assess its potential impact.

Australia's proposal to ban under-16s from social media platforms is "rushed", social media companies claimed Tuesday, expressing "serious concerns" about potential unintended consequences.

Tech companies are urging Australia's government to delay its proposed social media ban for under-16s amid criticism that the bill is being rushed into law. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left government introduced the bill in parliament last week and aims to pass it by the end of the parliamentary year on Thursday,

Google and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) requested the Australian government to delay a bill which will ban several types of social media platforms for children under 16, noting that more time was required to evaluate the potential impact.

The proposed law will hold the social media giants responsible for policing the ban, under threat of fines of up to US$32.5 million.