Australia Bans Social Media for Under-16s

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Facts

  • The Australian Senate on Thursday approved legislation banning children under 16 from social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and X, with the law set to take effect in late 2025.[1][2][3]
  • Social media companies face fines up to AU$50M ($32M) for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent underage users from accessing their platforms, though children and parents won't face penalties.[4][5]
  • The legislation passed the Senate by 34 votes to 19, with platforms given 12 months to implement age verification systems that won't require government ID documents.[6][7]
  • Messaging apps, online gaming services, and platforms supporting health and education are exempt from the ban, along with YouTube due to its educational purpose.[8][9]
  • The government will conduct trials of age verification technology between January and March 2025, involving 1.2K randomly chosen Australians to help provide recommendations on implementation methods.[10]
  • A YouGov poll released Tuesday showed 77% of Australians support the ban, up from 61% in August.[11]

Sources: [1]Daily Mail, [2]Reuters, [3]SBS News, [4]NBC, [5]CNN, [6]NPR Online News, [7]The New York Times, [8]BBC News, [9]The Guardian, [10]CBC and [11]YouGov.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by New York Post. The ban is necessary to protect young people's mental health and well-being from social media's harmful effects, including bullying and addiction, while giving parents peace of mind about their children's online safety.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Amnesty International. The legislation is too blunt an instrument that could isolate vulnerable youth, push them to more dangerous parts of the internet, and fails to address the positive aspects of social media for young people's mental health and sense of connection.