Melbourne, Australia – The Australian Parliament has passed a groundbreaking law that imposes a social media ban on children under 16. This law marks the first of its kind globally and aims to hold platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram accountable for failing to prevent minors under 16 from having accounts, with penalties of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures.
The bill received strong support in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, with the Senate passing it by a vote of 34 to 19 and the House by a vote of 102 to 13. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that the law is intended to address concerns from parents regarding online harm to their children and places a social responsibility on platforms to prioritize children’s safety.
The legislation gives platforms a one-year period to figure out how to implement the ban before penalties are enforced. Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, expressed concerns about the speed at which the legislation was pushed through, while the Digital Industry Group Inc. questioned the law’s impact on children and its technical aspects.
Privacy protections were strengthened with the passage of amendments on Friday, preventing platforms from requiring users to provide government-issued identity documents or digital identification through a government system. While major parties back the ban, child welfare and mental health advocates worry about unintended consequences, such as potential isolation of vulnerable children who rely on social media for support.
Despite concerns raised by critics, such as potential negative impacts on mental health and social connections for young people, supporters of the legislation argue that it necessitates social media companies to take appropriate steps to identify and remove underage users from their platforms. Online safety advocate Sonya Ryan, who lost her daughter Carly to an online predator, hailed the law as a significant step in protecting children from harm.
The legislation represents a shift towards greater regulation of social media platforms in Australia, prompted by a growing recognition of the need to protect children online. As debates continue on the efficacy and consequences of such measures, the passage of the law signals a move towards greater accountability for social media companies in ensuring the well-being of young users.