Social media businesses who violate a proposed prohibition on minors under 16 accessing their services face multimillion dollar fines from the Australian government.
The government has positioned the change to the Online Safety Act as “world-leading social media reform,” and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced it in parliament on Thursday.
Rowland said in a statement, “The Albanese Government is introducing world-leading legislation to establish 16 as the minimum age for access to social media.”“The legislation places the onus on social media platforms, not parents or children, to ensure protections are in place,” Rowland said. “Ultimately, this is about supporting a safer and healthier online environment for young Australians.”
The legislation follows several high-profile cases of children taking their own lives citing online bullying, and complaints from parents about the pressure their children face to be online. Many parents and pro-ban campaigners have lauded the bill as a long overdue measure to impose accountability on tech companies for tools Australian children use online.
However, critics say the proposed ban is a blunt instrument that will reduce teens’ access to support networks and create greater risks for those who flout the ban. Both sides agree about the risks of children spending too much time online, and the need for tech companies to do more to safeguard their products.
The Australia government’s also commissioned the UK consortium Age Check Certification Scheme to trial age verification technology, to aid efforts to keep children off social media platforms. And it’s proposed a “digital duty of care” on providers to “keep users safe and help prevent online harms.” Similar agreements have been introduced elsewhere that allow users to complain and for authorities to take action.
Source: Here
