In Australia, nearly all social media platforms will be banned for children and teenagers under the age of 16 by the end of 2025. Messenger services, online games and video platforms will remain accessible. The world's first law of its kind was passed by the Australian Parliament on November 27 and sets a one-year deadline for platform operators to implement effective age verification mechanisms. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 31 million euros.
The background on the social media ban:
- In Australia, 98% of tenth graders regularly use at least one social media platform.
- The law aims to protect young people from risks such as sexual harassment, cyberbullying and harmful content.
- Nearly two-thirds of 14- to 17-year-olds in Australia have been exposed to extremely harmful content online, including substance abuse, suicide, self-harm and violence.
- Social media is suspected of affecting development and causing depression, attention problems, eating disorders, low self-esteem and bullying.
There are privacy concerns about age verification as the law leaves open how exactly this can be implemented. It is imaginable that checks could be carried out using ID documents, facial recognition or verification by third party providers. Another concern is that children could move to less regulated online spaces after a social media ban and that the new law does not require platform operators to reduce harmful content.
Sources: Tagesschau and German Federal Agency for Civic Education