First country in the world BANS social media for under-16s outlawing Instagram & TikTok in move that could sweep globe
One of the largest nations in the world plans to formally outlaw social media use by anyone younger than sixteen.
In a shocking move that might soon take the world by storm, tech giants Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are among those that will be banned.
When the ban in Australia goes into effect in about a year, millions of children will be impacted.
In a pivotal vote today, the Australian Senate unanimously supported the stringent new legislation.
The new rule targets the tech corporations that operate social media apps because they risk massive fines of more than $25 million if they don’t prevent children from creating accounts.
The government of Australia has mandated that businesses take the necessary actions to improve online safety.
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It has been promised that neither parents nor children will be punished.
It is anticipated that the prohibition won’t start for at least another year.
Before the vote, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared, “I’m calling time on social media because it’s harming our children.”
Thousands of parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles have been interviewed by me. Like me, they are quite concerned about our kids’ online safety.
The House of Representatives approved the proposal on Wednesday by a vote of 102 to 13.
The Social Media Minimum Age measure was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 34 to only 19.
According to recent surveys, 77 percent of Australians also supported a ban.
Platforms for texting and gaming are not subject to the restriction.
Additionally untouched are websites that are accessible without an account, which could be YouTube’s lifeline.
In recent months, PM Albanese has continued to express his concerns over children’s use of social media.
In the past, he has criticized media tycoons Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, and Elon Musk, the owner of X, for not doing more to protect their platforms.
Musk has consistently retaliated against those who criticize them for attempting to stifle free expression.
Digital rights activists have always opposed the law when it is brought up, arguing that it could push harmful internet activities underground.
The prohibition on anyone under 16 puts them on par with the minimum age required to apply for a driver’s license and the legal age of consent in several places.
After protests about limiting kids’ internet rights, previous attempts at a social media ban, including by the European Union, have failed.
According to a Meta representative, Facebook respects Australian law but is “concerned” about the impending procedure.
“The task now shifts to ensuring there is fruitful consultation on all rules associated with the Bill,” they told Reuters.
“To ensure a technically feasible outcome that does not place an onerous burden on parents and teens and a commitment that rules will be consistently applied across all social apps used by teens.”
The head of the Molly Rose Foundation in the UK, Andy Burrows, is similarly against such age restriction.
The “retrograde step” that might leave children on a “cliff edge of harm” is how he defined the shift.
Andy worries that because they don’t have as much online exposure as preteens, under-16s are now more likely to suffer later in life.
According to him, kids shouldn’t be held accountable for the shortcomings of online platforms or the tardiness of previous administrations.
Strong, practical answers to difficult issues are needed for children’s protection, not rash decisions that could endanger more harm than good.
There are already minimum age requirements for users on a lot of social media platforms.
Both Meta and X require users to be at least 13 years old to sign up.
Additionally, X has more stringent guidelines for users who wish to view specific kinds of information, such adult or sensitive media, which frequently call for users to be at least 18 years old.
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According to reports, a number of other governments would be closely monitoring Australia’s implementation of the measure.
It is being seen as a test case for an increasing number of nations who have announced plans for comparable social media restrictions.
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