Apple has unveiled sweeping new online safety controls for children in the wake of the Albanese government's world-first social media ban for under 16s.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the changes on Tuesday and said the updates were inspired in part by his government's reforms.
Mr Albanese revealed Apple CEO Tim Cook had personally called him to notify him of Apple's new child safety measures.
"Today Apple CEO Tim Cook called me to brief me on the major announcement Apple has made regarding their new online safety controls for children," Mr Albanese said.
"Mr Cook told me these changes are in part inspired by Australia's world-leading social media age ban, as well as the continued research Apple is undertaking."
Apple has unveiled sweeping new online safety controls for children in the wake of the Albanese government's world-first social media ban for under 16s.
The announcement comes after Apple Inc previewed a suite of new parental control features designed to help parents better manage what content children can access.
Among the changes are a simpler child account setup process and a new "Ask to Browse" parental approval function before children access new websites in Safari.
There are also new "Time Allowances" that allow parents to set limits across categories such as gaming and social media, and a redesigned Screen Time dashboard.
Apple also announced stronger communication protections for young users which will detect and block gory or violent content, as well as nudity shared in images or videos. Parents will also be able to approve new contacts before children communicate with them via Messages, FaceTime or Phone.
Mr Albanese welcomed the announcement as evidence that the Albanese government's reforms were shaping global conversations around child online safety.
"I welcome this announcement, and I am proud of the world leading work Australia is doing to fight for a safer online world for our children," he said.
"We have a long way to go and we knew it would not be easy. However we are now seeing a number of nations follow Australia's lead."
Apple said the changes were designed to make parental controls easier to use while allowing families to tailor digital experiences based on the age and needs of each child.
"Our mission has always been to create technology that empowers people and enriches their lives, while helping keep them safe," Apple vice president of Health and Fitness Sumbul Desai said.
"Our approach to helping families create safer digital experiences is grounded in the belief that every child is unique.
"That's why we build simple and intuitive tools, based on expert guidance, to let parents tailor their kids' digital journey."
"Today, we're introducing major updates to help families thoughtfully establish age-based protections and develop healthy digital habits."
Mr Albanese also said Mr Cook had invited him to visit Apple headquarters in the United States to view the technology firsthand on his next visit.
"Mr Cook invited me to visit Apple the next time I am in the United States to see this technology in action, and I plan to take up that offer," he said.
"Australian parents led this effort, and we are proud to back them. We have already seen more than five million under-16s accounts removed, deactivated or restricted.
"Social media companies have a social responsibility, and we make no apology for holding them to account to help keep kids safe."
