Australia Bans Social Media for Under 16s
It is the responsibility of the platforms to prevent registration before this age threshold
Canberra has approved a bill to ban children under 16 from accessing social media. It is one of the most restrictive laws in the world, aiming to stop minors from accessing social media, which Telecommunications Minister Michelle Rowland has said is responsible for the “safety and mental health” of Australians. The Australian government in particular wants to shift the burden of access and control from families to the companies that manage the various virtual communication spaces. “It should be the responsibility of social media platforms, not parents or children, to enforce safeguards,” Rowland explained, and they should take “reasonable steps” to prevent young teens from having their own accounts.
Under the law, companies such as TickTock, Facebook, X, and others can be fined up to 50 million Australian dollars (just under 31 million euros) if they fail to close off access to minors under 16. They will have one year to adjust to the new legislation. Exceptions are provided for platforms that can also be useful for young people, such as YouTube and WhatsApp. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 102 in favor and 13 against, and then the Senate by a vote of 34 in favor and 19 against.
Meta representative explained after the bill’s approval: “We respect the laws passed by the Australian Parliament, but we are concerned about the process that has led to the law being approved so quickly without adequate consideration of the evidence, something the sector has already put in place to ensure experiences suitable for people of different ages,” highlighting that the Parliament itself has acknowledged that there is no clear link between the use (misuse?) of social media and the mental health of young Australians. “The aim now is to ensure fruitful consultation on all the rules associated with the Bill and to ensure a technically achievable outcome. A simple option is age verification done at the operating system and app store level, which reduces the difficulty and the amount of sensitive information that can be shared,” said Meta.
