Now it’s just a matter of time. In the coming months, Australian children under 16 will no longer be able to connect to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or even Snapchat. The bill aimed at banning access to social media for those under 16 years of age was largely adopted by the Australian House of Representatives on Wednesday, November 27.
Australian deputies voted in favor of this text (102 votes in favor, 13 against), announced at the beginning of November by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, reports the American news agency Associated Press.
The text must be studied this Wednesday, November 27, by the Senate, with final adoption at the end of the week.
This pioneering legislation would force platforms such as X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram to take measures to prevent minors under 16 from accessing them.
Concerned platforms
Australia is one of the countries at the forefront of regulating social media to protect children. The proposed age limit would be one of the strictest measures in the world, but it is not yet clear how it will be implemented. It provides strict privacy criteria that would force tech giants to delete any information collected for age verification.
The Associated Press explains that platforms will have a year to determine how to implement age restrictions before sanctions are applied.
This week, X expressed “serious concerns” that the ban would have a “negative impact” on children, adding that it violated their “rights to freedom of expression and access to information.”
TikTok, for its part, has expressed concerns about the privacy provisions, including the fact that they overlap and contradict other laws, and the limited time allowed to consult with interested parties.
Certain platforms, such as YouTube, will benefit from exemptions. Messaging services, such as WhatsApp, and online games should also be exempt from the ban.
Source: BFM TV
