Australia will ban social media use for minors under 16.
A big step, but how will it really work?
Australia has made the decision to ban the use of social media for minors under 16 years old, aiming to reduce the "harms these platforms are causing to young people." This initiative was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a press conference at the Parliament in Canberra. Albanese expressed his concern for children's online safety, emphasizing that he has spoken with numerous parents and relatives who share his worries.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that while the new legislation will not solve all problems immediately, it is essential to establish rules governing the use of these platforms. Similar to laws regarding alcohol consumption that restrict purchases to individuals over 18, these new regulations will set parameters for the protection of minors.
A specific feature of this legislation is that there will be no exceptions for users under 16 years old with parental consent, nor will there be transitions for those minors who are already using social media. The responsibility will fall on social media platforms and not on parents or teenagers. Although tech companies have made advances, such as Instagram, which has introduced limited accounts for teenagers, many services like TikTok and Snapchat maintain policies that prohibit children under 13 from creating accounts.
Additionally, a recent lawsuit in the United States against TikTok was highlighted, alleging violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act for allowing children under 13 to open accounts without parental consent. This situation has led to several legal actions across the country in defense of child safety.
The Prime Minister also referred to media campaigns in Australia on this issue, particularly mentioning the controversial campaign "Let Them Be Kids." The social initiative 36Months, which has promoted the ban on social media use by those under 16, was also present at the event.
Regarding the implementation of the ban, the Australian government will detail the aspects of the new law at a national meeting to be held soon. The legislation is expected to be presented to Parliament in two weeks and is anticipated to come into effect a year after its approval. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland emphasized that social media companies have been notified about these changes and that there will be a one-year period before compliance is required.
In relation to which platforms will be affected, Rowland clarified that the new legal framework will define what constitutes "social media," including well-known names like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X, as well as YouTube.
However, the way this ban will be enforced is not yet complete, as the Prime Minister indicated that "there will be no penalties for users." Rowland noted that during the next year, a "age assurance" testing will take place, where the measures implemented by the platforms to ensure compliance with the age restriction will be examined. This will be crucial to verify that appropriate decisions are made to protect minors in the digital space.
