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On November 7th, VARINDIA reported on Australia's proposed plans to restrict the age limit for accessing social media. Today, Australia has officially passed the legislation, introducing a social media ban for children under 16. Following an intense and emotive national debate, this landmark decision establishes one of the world's toughest regulations targeting Big Tech, setting a global benchmark for online safety and youth protection.
Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok are now required to implement robust age-verification processes to prevent minors from bypassing these restrictions. Failing to comply could earn them fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million). A trial of methods to enforce it will start in January with the ban to take effect in a year.
The Social Media Minimum Age bill sets Australia up as a test case for a growing number of governments which have legislated or said they plan to legislate an age restriction on social media amid concern about its mental health impact on young people. Advocacy groups and mental health professionals have welcomed the legislation, citing it as a crucial step toward creating a safer digital environment for children. Parents, too, have expressed relief, as they often struggle to regulate their children’s screen time and online interactions.
Countries including France and some U.S. states have passed laws to restrict access for minors without a parent's permission, but the Australian ban is absolute. Critics argue that the law could limit digital literacy and connectivity for young people. Some technology companies have raised concerns about the practicality of enforcing age verification and the potential for misuse of user data during the process.
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