Key Takeaways
- Australia bans children under 16 from social media to protect privacy and mental health.
- Penalties up to $33 million for platforms failing to stop minors from creating accounts.
- Concerns raised over potential isolation of vulnerable youth and enforcement challenges.
Australia has officially passed a groundbreaking law that bans children under 16 from using social media platforms, making it the first country to implement such a measure. The law gives social media platforms a one-year grace period to figure out how to enforce the ban before penalties are applied.
The amendments to Australia’s new social media ban law strengthen privacy protections for users. Under the updated legislation, platforms will be prohibited from requiring government-issued identity documents, such as passports or driver’s licenses, as well as digital identification through government systems. The House is set to approve the amendments on Friday. However, critics argue that the ban could infringe on the privacy of users who need to verify their age, potentially forcing them to disclose personal information in order to prove they are older than 16.
Related
Online Gaming Spared from Social Media Ban Bill
The proposed social media ban in Australia for users under the age of 16 will reportedly not including online gaming platforms like the PSN.
The bill, which was approved by the Australian Senate with a 34-19 vote, will hold platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram accountable for any systemic failures to prevent minors from creating accounts. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million). The House of Representatives had already passed the bill with an overwhelming vote of 102 to 13, and while opposition amendments are still pending approval, they are expected to pass without issue.
Although the major political parties back the ban, child welfare and mental health advocates have raised concerns about potential unintended consequences. According to ABC, Sen. David Shoebridge of the minority Greens party pointed out that mental health professionals have warned the ban could inadvertently isolate children who rely on social media platforms for support and connection. “This policy will hurt vulnerable young people the most, especially in regional communities and especially the LGBTQI community, by cutting them off,” Shoebridge told the Senate.
Australia’s move to ban social media use for children under 16 comes as part of a broader effort to protect young people from the risks associated with online platforms. These concerns include cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, online predators, and the potential for social media addiction, all of which have been linked to a rise in mental health issues among people, including celebrities like Tom Holland who took a step back from social media to focus on his mental well-being.
The Australian government is focusing on issues like privacy, safety, and mental health, which have been exacerbated by the widespread use of social media. However, the law has sparked debate with some child welfare and mental health experts worrying about the unintended consequences, such as the risk of isolating children who rely on social media to seek support. Critics also argue that it may be difficult to enforce effectively and could lead to privacy concerns for older users trying to prove they are over 16 or that the government is using the legislation as a political move ahead of the upcoming general election, hoping to gain favor with parents worried about their children’s social media addiction. Some also contend that the new social media ban could unintentionally cause more harm than benefit.
