Australia’s parliament has passed a world-first law banning social media for children under 16, putting tech companies on notice to tighten security before a cut-off date that’s yet to be set.
The Senate approved the social media ban late on Thursday, the last sitting day of the year, following months of intense public debate and a rushed parliamentary process that saw the bill introduced, debated and passed within a week.
Under the new law, tech companies must take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage users from accessing social media services or face fines of nearly 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million).
It’s the world’s toughest response yet to a problem that has seen other countries impose restrictions but not hold companies accountable for breaches of a nationwide ban. The ban is expected to apply to Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X, but that list could expand.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told legislators that “every serious government” was grappling with the impact of social media on young people, and the leaders he’d spoken to had applauded Australia’s initiative on the issue.
“We know that social media can be a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers. And worst of all, a tool for online predators,” he told Parliament on Monday.
Defending the age limit of 16, he said children at that age are better able to spot “the fakes and the danger.”
The bill was backed by most members of Australia’s main opposition party, the Liberal Party, with Liberal Sen. Maria Kovacic describing it as a “pivotal moment in our country.”
“We have drawn a line in the sand. The enormous power of big tech can no longer remain unchecked in Australia,” she said Thursday before the vote.
But it met fierce opposition from some independents and smaller parties, including Greens Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, who accused the major parties of trying to “fool” Australian parents.
“This is a disaster unfolding before our eyes,” she said. “You couldn’t make this stuff up. The prime minister says he’s worried about social media. The leader of the opposition says, ‘Let’s ban it.
“It’s a race to the bottom to try and pretend who can be the toughest, and all they end up with is pushing young people into further isolation and giving the platforms the opportunity to continue the free-for-all, because now there’s no social responsibility required.
“We need to make social media safer for everybody.” (CNN)
