Australia is one step closer to implementing a social media ban for children under 16 after the country’s lower house of Parliament passed the controversial bill on Wednesday.
The bill, which aims to enforce stricter controls on social media platforms, was passed by a vote of 102 to 13, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor government securing bipartisan support.
The legislation seeks to protect the physical and mental health of children by requiring social media platforms to implement age-verification systems. Companies found in violation of these protections could face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32 million). The bill is now set to be debated in the Senate, and the government hopes to have it passed by the end of the parliamentary year.
While the bill has gained significant support, including from parents’ groups and major media outlets, it has sparked heated debate.
Critics, including major tech companies like Google, Meta, and TikTok, have urged the government to delay the ban until an age-verification trial, expected to finish in mid-2025, is complete. Concerns about privacy and the potential negative impact on children’s rights to self-expression have also been raised by youth advocates and organizations like the Australian Human Rights Commission.
However, polls show that the majority of Australians, 77%, support the ban, and it has garnered backing from media outlets like News Corp, which launched an editorial campaign advocating for the move under the slogan “Let Them Be Kids.”
Peoplesmind
