AUSTRALIA TO ENFORCE WORLD-FIRST SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16
The controversial new law, which takes effect in one month, will prohibit minors from having accounts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, with hefty fines for non-compliant companies.
Australia is set to become the first country to legally ban individuals under the age of 16 from creating accounts on major social media platforms. The new law, the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, takes effect on December 10, following its passage last November.
The legislation targets what the government defines as “age-restricted” platforms, whose primary function is online social interaction. The list includes:
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- X (formerly Twitter)
- YouTube (though under-16s can watch videos without an account)
- Threads
- Kick
According to the government, the ban is designed to protect young people from harmful content. “There is no perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safe online,” said Minister for Communications Anika Wells. “But the social media minimum age laws will make a meaningful difference.”
Enforcement and Impact
The responsibility for enforcement falls squarely on the tech companies, which face fines of up to $49.5 million if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to identify and remove underage users. Platforms are recommended to use “age-related signals,” such as account activity and profile photo analysis, to find minors.
Notably, the law does not punish children or their parents for circumventing the ban, as the government’s focus is on platform accountability. Existing accounts belonging to under-16s must be deactivated, and parents cannot override the ban by giving consent.
Certain platforms, including messaging services like WhatsApp and Discord, as well as streaming and gaming sites like Twitch and Roblox, are excluded from the ban. The government describes the policy not as an outright prohibition but as a “delay” to having a social media account, a move that has sparked debate over its restrictiveness and practicality.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
