While Australia's recent law aims to prevent children under 16 from accessing social media to protect them from harmful content, critics question the enforcement and effectiveness of the legislation.
Australia Enacts Landmark Law to Safeguard Children from Social Media
Australia Enacts Landmark Law to Safeguard Children from Social Media
New legislation prohibits children under 16 from signing up for social media platforms, aiming to enhance online safety.
The Australian government has taken significant steps to enhance the online safety of youth by enacting a new law that forbids children under the age of 16 from creating accounts on social media platforms. This legislation, praised by officials as a "world leading" initiative, received unanimous support from both major political parties and was passed in the Senate following a prior approval in the lower house.
Michelle Rowland, the communications minister, emphasized that this initiative is intended to safeguard young individuals rather than punish or exclude them. She highlighted risks young people face online that include exposure to harmful content related to drug use, eating disorders, and violence.
The law, which has garnered widespread support from the public and several parental advocacy groups, has also drawn criticism from a range of stakeholders including technology companies, human rights organizations, and experts on social media. Detractors argue that several key issues remain unresolved regarding the implementation of the law, the protection of user privacy, and the overarching effectiveness of the ban in truly safeguarding children.
The specifics of the law mandate that social media platforms must take "reasonable steps" to confirm the age of their users, preventing anyone under the age of 16 from opening an account. As discussions continue about the implications of this legislation, the ability of social media companies to appropriately enforce these age restrictions will be under scrutiny.
