The Australian Parliament has passed a law that imposes restrictions on social media use for children under 16 years old, as reported by Tengri Life citing Euronews.
The law's proponents believe it is aimed at protecting Australian children from the harm caused by social media. This means that Australia will now have some of the strictest laws in the world regulating access to social media.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese explained the government's decision.
"We are doing this for all parents. Like many others, I am very concerned about the safety of our children online. I want Australian families to know: the government cares about them," he stated.
The document received significant support during the Senate vote on Thursday, passing with 34 votes in favor and 19 against.
The day before, on Wednesday, the bill had already passed a vote in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament, where 102 out of 115 representatives voted in favor, while 13 opposed it.
It is specified that the restrictions will not apply to those children who already have social media accounts. However, the ban on new registrations for children under 16 will be universal, with no exceptions even if parents grant permission.
Nonetheless, there will be no penalties for users who violate the new law. Social media platforms will be responsible for ensuring compliance with this regulation and will have to independently restrict children's access. Digital platforms that fail to meet these requirements could face fines exceeding €30.4 million.
Additionally, social media will be prohibited from requiring users to provide government-issued identification documents, such as passports or driver's licenses. Platforms will also not be able to demand digital identification through the government system. Age verification will be determined using technologies developed under a contract with a British company.
According to media reports, the document does not specify which social media platforms are being referred to.
"Will the law be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it isn't. But if it helps, even in the slightest way, it will greatly change people's lives," said MP Dan Tehan.
The law is expected to take effect 12 months after its passage and may be subject to review.
Social media platforms had requested to postpone the vote on the bill until there is a clear understanding of how user age verification will be conducted.
Previously, we reported that the Australian government introduced a draft law aimed at banning social media use for children under 16, even if their parents allow them to access the internet. The Prime Minister acknowledged that there would be challenges in enforcing the ban but emphasized the importance of establishing standards, as in other areas. More details in the article.