On Thursday, the Australian Senate became the first country in the world to enact legislation prohibiting young children from using social media.
If social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, X, TikTok, and others do not stop minors under the age of sixteen from creating accounts on their services, they will be fined $33 million USD. By a vote of 34 to 19, the Senate approved the bill. By a vote of 102 to 13, the House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the law with overwhelming support.
Opposition amendments introduced in the Senate have not yet been approved by the House. However, according to AP, it is really a formality because the government has already decided they will pass.
According to recent polls, 77% of people supported the prohibition, despite resistance from some child rights organisations and privacy campaigners. Through the “Let Them Be Kids” campaign, Australia’s domestic media supported the ban spearheaded by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, the nation’s largest newspaper publisher.
However, Elon Musk, the owner of X and a prominent player in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, stated in a post this month that the restriction appeared to be a “backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians,” which might strain Australia’s ties with the United States, a crucial partner.
However, because YouTube is used in schools, it is not subject to the prohibition. Following the age verification trial, the corporations had urged that the legislation should be delayed.
However, Elon Musk, the owner of X and a prominent player in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, stated in a post this month that the restriction appeared to be a “backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians,” which might strain Australia’s ties with the United States, a crucial partner. However, because YouTube is used in schools, it is not subject to the prohibition.
Following the age verification trial, the corporations had urged that the legislation should be delayed. Speaking to Reuters, Boss said, “It’s cart before the horse,” said Sunita Bose, managing director of Digital Industry Group. “We have the bill, but we don’t have guidance from the Australian government around what are the right methods that a whole host of services subject to this law will need to employ.”
Sarah Hanson-Young said, “This is boomers trying to tell young people how the internet should work to make themselves feel better.”