Australian Government Votes to Ban Under 16s from Social Media Apps

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Despite conflicting evidence around the viability and value of the plan , the Australian Government has now voted to implement a new law that will force all social media platforms to ban users under the age of 16.

The controversial bill was passed late last night, on the final full sitting day of parliament for the year. The government was keen to get the bill through before the end-of-year break, and ahead of an upcoming election in the nation, which is expected to be called early in the new year.

The agreed amendments to the Online Safety Act will mean that:

Social media platforms will be restricted to users over the age of 16 Messaging apps, online games, and “services with the primary purpose of supporting the health and education of end-users” will be exempt from the new restrictions (as will YouTube) Social media platforms will need to prove that they’ve taken “reasonable steps” to keep users under 16 off their platforms Platforms will not be allowed to require that users to provide government-issued ID to prove their age Penalties for breaches can reach a maximum of $AUD49.5 million ($US32.2 million) for major platforms Parents or young people who breach the laws will not face penalty

The new laws will come into effect in 12 months’ time, giving the platforms opportunity to enact new measures to meet these requirements, and ensure that they align with the updated regulations.

The Australian Government has touted this as a “world-leading” policy approach designed to protect younger, vulnerable users from unsafe exposure online.

But many experts, including some that have worked with the government in the past, have questioned the value of the change, and whether the impacts of kicking youngsters off social media could actually be worse than enabling them to use social platforms to communicate.

Earlier in the week, a group of 140 child safety experts published an open letter , which urged the government to re-think its approach.

As per the letter :

“The online world is a place where children and young people access information, build social and technical skills, connect with family and friends, learn about the world around them and relax and play. These opportunities are important for children, advancing children’s rights and strengthening development … Read More