Australia’s parliament has passed the world’s first law banning children under 16 from using social media. The law requires tech companies to take “reasonable steps” to prevent minor users from accessing their platforms. Failure to do so could result in a hefty fine of up to 50 million Australian dollars (32 million USD).
The final implementation date of the decision is yet to be determined, but once it goes into effect, minor users will be denied access to platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X. The list is likely to include more platforms in the future.
The need for and response to legislation:-
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, discussing the impact of social media on young people, said, “Social media is a tool for bullying, a medium for psychological stress and an easy tool for online criminals to use.”
While fixing the age limit of 16 years, he said that at this age children are more capable of recognizing dangerous things.
The main opposition Liberal Party also supported the bill. Senator Maria Kovacic called the legislation “an important milestone for our country”. He spoke of the importance of “bringing in control the unbridled power” of technology companies.
However, some small parties and independent members opposed it. Green Party Senator Sarah Hanson- Young called the legislation a “fraud of parents”. According to him, this decision will further isolate children and absolve technology companies from social responsibility.
Accelerated Bill Process:-
Parliament went through a fast- track process to pass this law. The bill was debated and passed just a week after it was proposed. Many people criticized that the decision was taken without sufficient discussion on such an important issue.
A parliamentary committee inquiry was given just 24 hours, and in a mere three- hour hearing, several experts and technology companies questioned the flaws in the bill.
Companies like Snapchat, X, and Meta (owners of Facebook and Instagram) have expressed concern about privacy risks. Also, it called for device- level verification to identify age groups. Meta also objected to the exclusion of YouTube and online gaming platforms.
Public support for legislation:-
According to a poll by YouGov, 77% of Australians support the legislation.
Now that the law has been passed, discussions will take place between the government and companies before final implementation. Social media accounts of children under 16 will be deactivated once the date is announced. Although the parents or children will not be prosecuted, the companies will have to demonstrate that appropriate restraints have been put in place.