Australia bans social media for children under 16; affected platforms, penalties

NEW DELHI: Australia has introduced a nationwide ban on social media platforms for children under the age of 16, becoming the first country to implement such a restriction. The legislation was approved by the Australian parliament. The Senate passed the bill for social media ban on November 28 with a vote of 34 to 19, followed by overwhelming support in the house of representatives with 102 votes to 13, as per Times of India report.

Critics of the legislation argue that the ban may face enforcement challenges and could push children to access platforms through unofficial means. Others have raised concerns about privacy implications tied to the age verification process.

Australia’s Social Media Ban for Children: Key highlights

As per TOI report, highlights of Australia's social media ban include the following-

1. Age Verification: Social media platforms are required to ensure underage users are restricted from accessing their services by implementing mandatory age verification measures.

2. Penalties for Non-Compliance: Companies failing to adhere to age verification requirements may face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars.

3. Exemptions: Certain services, including messaging apps, online gaming platforms, and educational tools, are not subject to the ban.

Australia’s Social Media Ban: Affected platforms

The law does not specify which social media platforms will be subject to the ban; these decisions will be made later by Australia’s communications minister based on recommendations from the eSafety Commissioner, the internet regulator responsible for enforcing the rules.

However, according to a BBC report, minister Michelle Rowland indicated that platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X are likely to be included. Platforms such as gaming and messaging services, as well as websites that do not require account-based access, like YouTube, are expected to be exempt for students.

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Social media platforms given 12-month period to adjust to new law

Social media platforms have been given one year to figure out how they can enforce the ban. According to TOI reports, Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, criticized the legislation, calling it 'rushed'. TOI states that, The company had previously argued that the law would be unworkable and had asked the Senate to delay the vote until at least June 2025, when a government-commissioned study on age-assurance technologies would assess how to exclude young children.

According to Reuters, Snap Inc. (SNAP.N), the parent company of Snapchat, has expressed its commitment to comply with Australian laws and regulations. However, a spokesperson has informed Reuters that the company highlighted concerns about the legislation.

Snapchat commits to compliance

Snapchat representatives told TOI, "While there are many unanswered questions about how this law will be implemented in practice, we will engage closely with the Government and the eSafety Commissioner during the 12-month implementation period to help develop an approach that balances privacy, safety and practicality. As always, Snap will comply with any applicable laws and regulations in Australia.”