Australia has made history by passing a law that bans children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram. The legislation, approved by the Senate on Thursday with a 34-19 vote, imposes fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) on platforms that fail to prevent underage users from creating accounts.
The House of Representatives had overwhelmingly passed the bill earlier this week by a vote of 102-13. It is expected to approve Senate amendments to the legislation, which include enhanced privacy protections. Under the new law, platforms cannot require government-issued identification documents such as passports or driver’s licenses to verify age, nor can they demand digital identification through government systems.
Social media platforms will have a one-year grace period to implement systems to enforce the ban before penalties are applied.
Privacy and Implementation Challenges
The amendments to the legislation aim to strengthen privacy protections while enforcing age restrictions. Platforms must ensure compliance without overreaching into users’ private data. The law specifically prohibits requiring official identity documents or other government-linked identification methods.
Global Implications
This law is the first of its kind globally and sets a precedent for regulating social media use by minors. It reflects growing concerns about the impact of social media on children and pressures platforms to take more responsibility for user safety.
The legislation has sparked discussions about the balance between online safety, privacy, and access. Social media companies have expressed concerns about the law’s feasibility, with some suggesting the timeline for implementation is overly ambitious.
Next Steps
The House of Representatives is set to finalize the legislation by endorsing Senate amendments on Friday. Social media platforms will need to develop and implement age verification mechanisms that comply with the new law without compromising user privacy. The law will take full effect once this transition period concludes.
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