Australia passes law banning under-16s from social media | Business and Economic News

Social media companies that fail to enforce the ban could face fines of up to A$50 million ($32.5 million).

The Australian Parliament has passed legislation banning children under 16 from using social media, one of the strictest regulations targeting platforms in the world.

The bill, which passed the Senate on Thursday, would require social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to prevent those under 16 from having accounts.

Failure to do so could result in fines of up to A$50 million (US$32.5 million).

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the legislation and urged parents to support the bill.

Ahead of the vote in parliament, Albanese said social media was “a platform for peer pressure, a platform for triggering anxiety, a tool for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators”.

He added that he wanted young Australians to “put down their phones and go to the football and cricket fields, the tennis and netball courts and the swimming pool”.

While privacy advocates and some children’s rights groups opposed the bill, 77 percent of the public supported the ban on those under 16, according to the latest poll.

Australian anti-bullying advocate Ali Halkic, whose 17-year-old son Allem committed suicide in 2009 following bullying on social media, praised the law, saying it was a “starting point” in returning control to parents.

“It will be difficult for 10 to 15-year-olds to manage the ban, but the younger generations, aged seven, eight or nine, if they don’t know what it is, why does it matter?” he told the Reuters news agency.

support networks

Meanwhile, advocacy groups and academics warn that the ban could prevent vulnerable youth, including the LGBTQ community and immigrant youth, from finding support networks.

The Australian Human Rights Commission said the law could also interfere with young people’s human rights by hindering their ability to participate in society.

The concern about the bill for privacy advocates is the increased potential for personal data collection.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said before the vote that the legislation was “a siege attempt to tell young people how the internet should work to make them feel better about themselves”.

Current legislation does not provide detailed information on how the ban will be implemented and it will take at least 12 months for regulators to work out the details before the ban comes into force.

Some companies, including WhatsApp and YouTube, will also likely be granted exemptions because young people may need them for work or entertainment.