Australia Proposes Legislation to Prohibit Social Media Access for Children
The proposed legislation aims to prohibit individuals under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, citing their detrimental effects. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The Australian government has unveiled a bill designed to prohibit children under 16 from using social media, along with proposed fines for platforms that fail to adhere to new age verification requirements.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced an amendment to the Online Safety Act in Parliament on Thursday, stating that the law will place the responsibility of implementing age-verification measures on social media platforms rather than on parents or minors.
With a focus on establishing a minimum age of 16 for access to age-restricted social media, Rowland noted that this initiative is intended to align with Australians' expectations of reducing young people's exposure to harmful online content.
According to Rowland, nearly two-thirds of Australians aged 14 to 17 have encountered extremely harmful material online, including content related to drug abuse, suicide, and self-harm.
The proposed legislation includes financial penalties of up to AU$50 million for companies that fail to take “reasonable steps to prevent age-restricted users having accounts.”
Media reports indicate that the law is expected to impact social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, X, and Reddit, though the bill itself does not specifically name any platform.
Both the governing Labor Party and the opposition Liberals support the bill. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his desire in September for children to be “off their phones and on the footy field,” highlighting parental concerns regarding the adverse effects of social media on youth physical and mental health.
If passed, the legislation will not allow exemptions for parental consent or existing accounts. Social media platforms will have a year to figure out how to implement the required age restrictions.
“This is a landmark reform,” Albanese remarked in a statement on Thursday. “We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act.”
Critics of the proposed legislation contend that the measures infringe upon young people's rights to free expression and may compromise privacy.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, shared his views on the platform, stating, “Seems like a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians.”
Several countries, including China, France, and Spain, as well as various U.S. states, have enacted similar laws aimed at restricting social media usage among minors.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced an amendment to the Online Safety Act in Parliament on Thursday, stating that the law will place the responsibility of implementing age-verification measures on social media platforms rather than on parents or minors.
With a focus on establishing a minimum age of 16 for access to age-restricted social media, Rowland noted that this initiative is intended to align with Australians' expectations of reducing young people's exposure to harmful online content.
According to Rowland, nearly two-thirds of Australians aged 14 to 17 have encountered extremely harmful material online, including content related to drug abuse, suicide, and self-harm.
The proposed legislation includes financial penalties of up to AU$50 million for companies that fail to take “reasonable steps to prevent age-restricted users having accounts.”
Media reports indicate that the law is expected to impact social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, X, and Reddit, though the bill itself does not specifically name any platform.
Both the governing Labor Party and the opposition Liberals support the bill. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his desire in September for children to be “off their phones and on the footy field,” highlighting parental concerns regarding the adverse effects of social media on youth physical and mental health.
If passed, the legislation will not allow exemptions for parental consent or existing accounts. Social media platforms will have a year to figure out how to implement the required age restrictions.
“This is a landmark reform,” Albanese remarked in a statement on Thursday. “We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act.”
Critics of the proposed legislation contend that the measures infringe upon young people's rights to free expression and may compromise privacy.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, shared his views on the platform, stating, “Seems like a backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians.”
Several countries, including China, France, and Spain, as well as various U.S. states, have enacted similar laws aimed at restricting social media usage among minors.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
