A new law in Australia is attempting to keep children safe on social media.
On Thursday, Nov. 28, Australian lawmakers passed a social media ban for kids under 16 — one of the most extensive initiatives aimed at protecting youth safety and health in the world, according to reports from NBC News and The New York Times.
The “world-leading” law, called The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, “will deliver greater protections for young Australians during critical stages of their development,” according to a press release from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Though it is not entirely clear which platforms will be covered by the landmark ban, the Times reported it will impact Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit and X (formerly known as Twitter).
YouTube, meanwhile, is unaffected, along with WhatsApp and similar messaging apps, the outlet said.
Apps that “are health and education related” like Headspace and Google Classroom are also not affected by the age limit, according to the press release, which also assures that Australian youth will “have continued access to messaging and online gaming.”
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Under the newly passed legislation, the age limit has been lowered on the affected apps, with more responsibility falling directly and exclusively on the platforms — “not parents or young people,” the press release states.
Specifically, the law requires the companies to take “reasonable steps” to prevent anyone under 16 from creating an account and states that the responsibility for enforcing the limit falls solely on the platforms.
The social media platforms now have 12 months to meet these requirements, per the Times. Should any of the apps fail at preventing kids from making accounts on their sites, they may be fined up to approximately $32 million.
“We know social media is doing social harm,” Albanese said in the release. “We want Australian children to have a childhood, and we want parents to know the Government is in their corner.”
And, recognizing that Australian children affected by the “landmark reform” may find ways around its limitations, the prime minister said he hopes that companies take notes.
“We know some kids will find workarounds,” he said, “but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act.”
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Implemented over concerns about privacy rights, a revision to the legislation says that regardless of age, users will not be forced to provide government identification to verify their age, the Times reported.
Plus, the law will reportedly “contain robust privacy provisions,” according to the prime minister’s press release. It will, for instance, require platforms to “ringfence and destroy any information collected” to safeguard people’s personal information.
“The Bill has been designed following extensive feedback from young Australians, parents, experts, industry, community organisations and state and territory governments,” the release states. “It builds on broader efforts by the Australian Government to hold platforms accountable for ensuring the safety of their users.”
