Australia lawmakers pass landmark social-media ban for under-16s
Summary
The ban could see technology companies such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat fined up to roughly $33 million if they fail to prevent young children from holding accounts.
Australia is set to become the first country to ban social media use by under-16s after the country’s Senate overwhelmingly voted in favor of strict new legislation.
The ban, which will take at least 12 months to come into effect, could see technology companies fined up to 50 million Australian dollars, roughly $32.5 million, if they fail to bring in steps to prevent children from holding accounts. Parents and teenagers won’t be fined.
Advocates of the legislation—which is considered among the strictest in the world—hope it will make it easier for parents to keep their children off the platforms until they are more mature.
“Social media is doing harm to our children and I’m calling time on it," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said when the bill was introduced to Parliament earlier this month. “I’ve spoken to thousands of parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our children online."
The country’s Senate passed the bill 34 votes to 19 Thursday. The House of Representatives Wednesday approved the legislation 102 votes to 13.
The legislation marks the latest effort by political leaders worldwide to regulate children’s social-media use, amid widespread concerns about its negative impacts on mental health.
A law in Florida, which is currently being challenged in the courts, aims to ban social media for children under 14 and require parental consent for children between 14 and 15 years old.
Australia’s proposal takes things further and effectively puts social-media access on par with the country’s legal age of consent in some areas, as well as a teenager’s ability to learn to drive or apply to join the military.
An industry group that represents tech companies including Snap, TikTok and Meta Platforms—which owns Facebook and Instagram—has previously spoken out against the ban.
The Digital Industry Group has called for a balanced approach to create age-appropriate spaces and raised privacy concerns. Australia’s legislation would require all Australians to provide personal information, such as an ID or an image of their face, to verify their age, according to the industry group.
A spokesman for Meta raised concerns about the legislation and said more research into the effects of social media on mental health was needed. “We are concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people," he said.
Snap and TikTok owner ByteDance didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Write to Gareth Vipers at gareth.vipers@wsj.com
