Australia Bans Social Media For Minors Under 16
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
CANBERRA (Worthy News) – Setting a benchmark for jurisdictions worldwide, Australia has banned social media for children under 16. with the government saying that ” the safety of our kids is a priority.”
On Friday, Australians reacted with anger and relief to the ban, which tech giants like TikTok argued could push young people to “darker corners of the internet.”
The law forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta Platforms to TikTok to stop minors from logging in or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million).
A trial of enforcement methods will start in January, with the ban to take effect in a year.
“We’ve passed important legislation to keep our kids safe online,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a statement obtained by Worthy News.
“Social media is doing social harm to our kids. We’ve called time on it. We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs,” he added.
BEAUTY FILTERS
It comes amid growing concerns about addiction as well as age-inappropriate content, ranging from sexual to violent materials readily available online for minors.
Experts also warned that girls are using beauty filters at “alarming rates,” with research showing that for many, it makes them “feel worse” about their appearance.
Critics said that despite these concerns, Australia’s government ignored advice from “a chorus of experts,” including the Australian Human Rights Commission, which warned the legislation was “rushed through” parliament.
The Commission said the government had not taken “the time to get the details right, or even know how the ban will work in practice.”
However, a new poll shows 77 percent of Australians support the ban.
Australia is the first known Western democracy to ban social media platforms permanently for minors.
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