The Australian Parliament approved a ban on access to social media for people under 16 years of age. It is one of the most rigorous measures in the world in this area, but it raises doubts regarding its application.
The proposed law, passed in both Houses of Parliament with the support of the main parties, will require platforms to take “reasonable measures” to prevent children and young teenagers from having an account.
Failure to comply with this obligation will result in fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (30.7 million euros).
TikTok, Instagram e Facebook criticam lei confusa
Criticized as rushed, confusing and problematic through several platforms, the law had the “green light” on Thursday, in the Australian Senate, with 34 votes in favor and 19 againsta, after the Australian lower house approved it.
Meta, the parent company of and , has already regretted that what the sector “already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences“. But the company also noted that the law will be respected.
For his part, he said he was disappointed with the ban, pointing to the risk of young people turning to dangerous alternative platforms.
“It is very likely that the ban will lead young people to darkest areas of the Internetwhere there are no general rules, security or protection tools”, highlighted a spokesperson for the Chinese platform in a statement, regretting that Australian legislators have ignored the advice of numerous experts.
How will the law be applied?
On paper, Australia’s ban is one of the strictest in the world. But the text provides almost no details on how it will be applied.
Some experts have already expressed doubts about the technical feasibility of this prohibition, questioning whether it is a text with symbolic meaning, but inapplicable.
It will be necessary to wait at least a year for the law to come into force, time for Australian regulators to clarify the details regarding its application.
The law should prohibit the use of social networks as Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X (the old Twitter). But the gaming and messaging platforms will not be covered, according to data revealed by the Australian Government so far.
Sites such as those that can be accessed without having a registered account will also not be prohibited by law.
The Australian Government also revealed that the ban should be regulated with age verification technologyplacing the responsibility for control on the social media platforms themselves.
However, some digital experts warn that there are no guarantees that this unspecified technology actually works.
Furthermore, they warn that restrictions can be circumvented with tools like a VPN that can “disguise” a user’s location.
“Social media is a tool for predators”
Center-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the legislation and asked parents of children to join this law.
Before the vote, he accused social networks of being “a platform for social pressure, a source of anxietya channel for and, worst of all, a tool for online predators“.
Albanese said he hopes young Australians “turn off your cell phones and instead meet on the football pitches, the cricket pitches, the tennis courts, the volleyball courts or the swimming pool.”
The law will not make “social networks safer for young people”, stressed, in turn, environmentalist senator Sarah Hanson-Young, during the debate in the Senate, expressing herself “devastated” to see young people “addicted to dangerous algorithms”.
What’s happening in the rest of the world?
The entry into force of this new legislation will be closely monitored abroad, with several countries also considering implementing similar restrictions.
In the North American state of Floridashould come into force in January, a law that prohibits account opening for children under 14 years old. But it is not yet known how it will be applied.
Em Spainthe Government has already presented a bill to prohibit access to social networks for minors under 16, although the method of verifying age has not been determined. There is no scheduled date for reviewing the text.
A Chinawhich has restricted access to minors since 2021, requires identification using an identity document. You under 14 years old They cannot spend more than 40 minutes a day on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and online gaming time for children and teenagers is limited.
