Australia approaches potential ban on social media for minors following intense debate
Recent polling indicates strong public endorsement for the initiative. A YouGov survey published this week revealed that 77 percent of Australians are in favor of the ban, an increase from 61 percent in August.
TroibNews 
Australia took a significant step closer to implementing a ban on social media for children under 16 on Wednesday, as the lower house of parliament passed a bill amid calls from Alphabet and Meta for the government to postpone the legislation.
The House of Representatives approved the bill with a vote of 102 to 13, a move marking some of the strictest social media regulations globally, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left Labor government garnered bipartisan backing for the initiative.
The Senate is set to discuss the bill later on Wednesday, with the government eager to see it passed by the conclusion of the parliamentary year on Thursday.
Albanese has emphasized that excessive social media use poses threats to the physical and mental well-being of children and is seeking parental support for the initiative.
The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to implement reasonable age-verification measures. Companies found to be in systemic violation could face fines of up to A$49.5 million.
Australia intends to pilot an age-verification system, potentially utilizing biometrics or government-issued identification to enforce the restrictions.
A Senate committee gave the bill its backing this week but added a stipulation that social media platforms must not compel users to provide personal data, such as passports and other forms of digital identification, for age verification.
Additionally, the committee insisted that the government must "meaningfully engage" with youth in the process of shaping the legislation.
"Young people, and in particular diverse cohorts, must be at the center of the conversation as an age restriction is implemented to ensure there are constructive pathways for connection," stated committee chair Senator Karen Grogan.
In their submissions to parliament, Google and Meta advocated for delaying the ban until the age-verification pilot concludes, which is anticipated in mid-2025. TikTok, owned by Bytedance, called for further consultation on the bill, while Elon Musk's X raised concerns about potential negative impacts on children's human rights.
The proposal for a ban emerged from a deeply emotional parliamentary inquiry into social media, which featured testimonies from parents whose children had self-harmed due to cyberbullying.
The topic has sparked intense discussions, with youth advocates warning it deprives children of a voice, while parent groups argue that those under 16 lack the maturity to navigate the digital landscape.
Teenagers have expressed that the law could sever their crucial social and family ties, asserting that a ban isn't a viable solution.
"I understand that using social media a lot is not a good thing and I'm working on it," said 16-year-old Enie Lam from Sydney. "But a ban is not going to work," she added.
Despite the dissenting voices, public opinion appears to strongly favor the measure. A recent YouGov survey indicated that 77 percent of Australians support the ban, a significant increase from 61 percent in August.
Australian media outlets, including the publicly funded Australian Broadcasting Corp and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, have also shown their backing for the ban. An editorial campaign by News Corp, the largest newspaper publisher in the country, has advocated for the ban under the slogan "Let Them Be Kids".
"Our members feel that this is one of the biggest issues impacting on themselves and their families at the moment," said Jenny Branch-Allen, president of the Australian Parents Council, an advocacy organization.
"Big companies have to start taking responsibility. Let's try and reduce the incidents we're hearing involved with social media and young people in Australia."
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
The House of Representatives approved the bill with a vote of 102 to 13, a move marking some of the strictest social media regulations globally, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left Labor government garnered bipartisan backing for the initiative.
The Senate is set to discuss the bill later on Wednesday, with the government eager to see it passed by the conclusion of the parliamentary year on Thursday.
Albanese has emphasized that excessive social media use poses threats to the physical and mental well-being of children and is seeking parental support for the initiative.
The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to implement reasonable age-verification measures. Companies found to be in systemic violation could face fines of up to A$49.5 million.
Australia intends to pilot an age-verification system, potentially utilizing biometrics or government-issued identification to enforce the restrictions.
A Senate committee gave the bill its backing this week but added a stipulation that social media platforms must not compel users to provide personal data, such as passports and other forms of digital identification, for age verification.
Additionally, the committee insisted that the government must "meaningfully engage" with youth in the process of shaping the legislation.
"Young people, and in particular diverse cohorts, must be at the center of the conversation as an age restriction is implemented to ensure there are constructive pathways for connection," stated committee chair Senator Karen Grogan.
In their submissions to parliament, Google and Meta advocated for delaying the ban until the age-verification pilot concludes, which is anticipated in mid-2025. TikTok, owned by Bytedance, called for further consultation on the bill, while Elon Musk's X raised concerns about potential negative impacts on children's human rights.
The proposal for a ban emerged from a deeply emotional parliamentary inquiry into social media, which featured testimonies from parents whose children had self-harmed due to cyberbullying.
The topic has sparked intense discussions, with youth advocates warning it deprives children of a voice, while parent groups argue that those under 16 lack the maturity to navigate the digital landscape.
Teenagers have expressed that the law could sever their crucial social and family ties, asserting that a ban isn't a viable solution.
"I understand that using social media a lot is not a good thing and I'm working on it," said 16-year-old Enie Lam from Sydney. "But a ban is not going to work," she added.
Despite the dissenting voices, public opinion appears to strongly favor the measure. A recent YouGov survey indicated that 77 percent of Australians support the ban, a significant increase from 61 percent in August.
Australian media outlets, including the publicly funded Australian Broadcasting Corp and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, have also shown their backing for the ban. An editorial campaign by News Corp, the largest newspaper publisher in the country, has advocated for the ban under the slogan "Let Them Be Kids".
"Our members feel that this is one of the biggest issues impacting on themselves and their families at the moment," said Jenny Branch-Allen, president of the Australian Parents Council, an advocacy organization.
"Big companies have to start taking responsibility. Let's try and reduce the incidents we're hearing involved with social media and young people in Australia."
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
