Australia is moving closer to banning social media for children
Australia moved closer to banning social media for children under 16 on Wednesday after the lower house of parliament passed the bill, even as Alphabet’s Google and Facebook owner Meta urged the government to delay the legislation.
Australia’s House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 102 to 13, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor government won bipartisan support for the ban.
The Senate is expected to debate the bill later on Wednesday, with the government keen to ensure it is passed at the end of the parliamentary year on Thursday.
Albanese, who is trying to boost his approval ratings ahead of elections expected in May, has argued that excessive use of social media poses risks to children’s physical and mental health and is seeking support from parents.
Media outlets including News Corp have supported the ban.
Some youth activists, including the Australian Human Rights Commission, raised concerns that the law would harm children’s rights to self-expression, but a YouGov poll released on Tuesday found 77 percent of Australians supported the ban, up from 61 percent in a August survey.
The planned law would force social media platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure age verification protections are in place. Companies can face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million ($32 million or about Rs. 270 crore) for systemic breaches.
Australia plans to trial an age verification system that could include biometrics or government identification to enforce the ban, one of the toughest social media controls imposed by any country yet.
A Senate committee late Tuesday backed the bill but added a proviso that social media platforms cannot force users to submit personal information such as passports and other digital identification to prove their age.
In its report, the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee said social media platforms should develop “alternative methods to ensure age as reasonable steps, taking into account the age insurance test.”
A progress report on the age insurance process must be submitted to Parliament by the Communications Minister by September 30, 2025, the committee said as it urged the government to “engage meaningfully with young people” when drafting the law.
“Young people, and particularly diverse cohorts, must be at the center of the conversation as an age restriction is introduced to ensure there are constructive avenues for connection,” said committee chair Senator Karen Grogan.
In separate submissions to parliament, Google and Meta said the social media ban should be postponed until the age verification trial ends. Bytedance’s TikTok said the bill needed more consultation, while Elon Musk’s X said the proposed law could harm children’s human rights.
Some opposition figures and independent lawmakers have criticized the government for trying to pass the legislation within a week. The bill was introduced last Thursday, submissions on it closed the next day and a brief public hearing was held on Monday.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
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