(FreePressBeacon.com) – In an unprecedented act, Australia has passed a landmark law to forbid children under 16 to use social media.
See the tweet below!
By banning children under 16, it aims to curb psychological harm while demanding social media giants shoulder responsibility.
This controversial move ignites debate over freedom versus safety and future impacts.
Australia’s groundbreaking legislation aims to protect children under 16 from the dangers of social media platforms.
This bold intervention, passed by the Senate with a 34-19 vote and the House of Representatives 102-13, marks a global first, creating new challenges for tech giants.
Social media companies like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram face potential fines up to 50 million Australian dollars for ignoring this mandate.
The law intends to hold these companies accountable, urging them to implement age-verification mechanisms within a year to avoid penalties.
While online safety advocates hail this legislation as necessary, critics worry about its potential shortcomings.
Concerns range from possible privacy violations to the unintended isolation of vulnerable youth, especially those in regional and LGBT communities.
“This policy will hurt vulnerable young people the most, especially in regional communities and especially the LGBTQI community, by cutting them off,” claimed Sen. David Shoebridge, cited by The Associated Press.
Despite the legislation’s challenges, it underscores the Australian government’s resolve to protect its youth.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the bill, emphasizing exemptions for educational and health services, along with reinforced privacy safeguards prohibiting platforms from demanding government IDs.
BREAKING: Australian senators have passed a world-first law that bans under 16s from having social media accounts.
🔗 Read more https://t.co/XH0agtCfK9
— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 28, 2024
Critics, however, argue the bill rushed through Parliament, leading to implementation uncertainties.
Meta Platforms described the legislation as “rushed” and called for reconsideration, indicating potential technical barriers and privacy concerns.
“Concerned the government is rushing this legislation without adequate consultation or evidence and there are still many unknowns with respect to its implementation,” said a Meta statement.
Support for the ban remains strong, with a YouGov survey showing 77% of Australians in favor.
As the debate rages on, the world watches to see if other countries will adopt similar policies or if technological giants will resist, potentially altering the digital landscape significantly.
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