Social media platform X owner and U.S. billionaire Elon Musk has voiced his disapproval of Australia’s proposed legislation that seeks to prohibit children under the age of 16 from accessing social media. The legislation proposes substantial penalties of up to A$49.5 million (approximately $32 million) for companies that fail to comply with systemic violations.

On Thursday, Australia’s center-left government introduced the bill in parliament, which seeks to implement an age-verification system to enforce this age restriction—potentially the most stringent regulations imposed by any nation to date.

Musk, who positions himself as a proponent of free speech, responded late Thursday to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s post regarding the bill, stating, “It seems like a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians.”

While several countries have committed to limiting social media usage among children through legislation, Australia’s approach could emerge as one of the most rigorous, lacking exemptions for parental consent or existing accounts.

Last year, France proposed a ban on social media for individuals under 15 but permitted parental consent, whereas the U.S. has long mandated that technology companies obtain parental consent to collect data from children under 13.

Musk has had previous confrontations with Australia’s center-left Labor government over its social media regulations, labeling it “fascists” in response to its misinformation law.

In April, X contested an Australian court order from a cyber regulator to remove certain posts related to the stabbing of a bishop in Sydney. This led Albanese to describe Musk as an “arrogant billionaire.”