The Australian Parliament has passed a law banning children under the age of 16 from using social media, sending a clear message to tech companies that they must enhance safety measures before a yet-to-be-determined deadline.
The Senate approved the social media ban on Thursday night, the last day of the parliamentary session for the year, following months of intense public debate and a fast-tracked legislative process that saw the bill introduced, debated, and passed within a week.
Under the new law, tech companies will be required to take “reasonable steps” to prevent minors from accessing social media or face fines of nearly 50 million Australian dollars.
This marks the strictest global response to a problem that has prompted other countries to impose restrictions but not hold companies accountable for violating national bans. Platforms expected to fall under the ban include Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and X, though the list could expand.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told lawmakers that “every serious government” grapples with the influence of social media on young people. He noted that leaders he had spoken with praised Australia’s initiative on the issue.
“We know social media can be a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a tool for scammers, and, worst of all, a means for online predators,” Albanese said in Parliament on Monday.
Defending the age threshold of 16, he argued that children at that age are better equipped to recognize “lies and dangers.”
The law received backing from most members of the main opposition Liberal Party, with Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic calling it a “historic moment for our country.”
Fast process
The government was heavily criticized for the speed with which the law was enacted.
Proposals for Senate review of the bill were open for just 24 hours before a three-hour debate on Monday. A report on the review was released Tuesday, and the bill passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday – 102 votes in favor, 13 against – before moving to the Senate.
Over 100 submissions were received, with “nearly all contributors and witnesses expressing serious concerns that a law of such importance had insufficient time for thorough consideration and reporting,” the committee’s report stated.
However, the committee recommended passing the bill with some amendments, including prohibiting the use of government documents, such as passports, for verifying users’ ages.
Tech companies raised objections to the law, echoing critics’ warnings about privacy risks and dangers posed to children who might bypass the ban.
Snap Inc., whose Snapchat app is popular among children, stated that “device-level age verification is the best available option.”
X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, claimed the platform is “not widely used by minors” but voiced concerns about the law’s impact on free expression.
Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, highlighted its ongoing investments in safety tools for its platforms and “strongly” advised the government to await the results of age-verification safety trials expected next year.
Meta’s report also criticized the exclusion of YouTube and online gaming from the ban, arguing it “undermines” the law’s purpose, as these platforms offer “similar benefits and risks” to those covered by the ban.
Despite these objections, polls show strong public support for the legislation in Australia, N1 writes.
E.Dz.
