Social media companies slam Australia’s new under-16 ban

Social media giants have slammed a landmark Australian law banning them from signing up under-16s, describing it as a rush job littered with “many unanswered questions”.

Australia’s parliament passed a new law banning children aged under 16 from using social media, one of the strictest regulations targeting the platforms in the world.

The new law, which was passed in the Australian Senate by 34 votes to 19 on Thursday, requires social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to prevent those under 16 from having accounts.

Protecting youngsters

Failure to abide by the new law could result in fines of up to AUS$50 million (US$32.5 million or R588 million).

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the legislation is needed to protect young people from the “harms” of social media, something many parent groups have echoed.

“We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs,” Albanese told reporters.

On paper, the ban is one of the strictest in the world.

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Concerns

However, the current legislation offers almost no details on how the rules will be enforced — prompting concern among experts that it will simply be a symbolic piece of legislation that is unenforceable.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) in Australia warned the law was no “silver bullet” against online harm and could push kids into “covert and unregulated” spaces online.

TikTok

TikTok said it was “disappointed” in the law, accusing the government of ignoring mental health, online safety and youth experts who had opposed the ban.

“It’s entirely likely the ban could see young people pushed to darker corners of the internet where no community guidelines, safety tools, or protections exist,” a TikTok spokesperson said.

Meta

Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram called for consultation on the rules to ensure a “technically feasible outcome that does not place an onerous burden on parents and teens” AFP reported.

However, Meta said it was concerned “about the process, which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people”.

Global monitoring

Social media companies remain adamant that age verification should be the job of app stores, but the government believes tech platforms should be responsible.

Exemptions will likely be granted to some companies, such as WhatsApp and YouTube, which teenagers may need to use for recreation, school work or other reasons.

The legislation will be closely monitored by other countries, with many weighing whether to implement similar bans.

China has restricted access for minors since 2021, with under-14s not allowed to spend more than 40 minutes a day on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

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