You aren’t 16, you cannot scroll,” says Australia’s New Social Media Minimum Age Bill

Little about the Social Media Ban in Australia

Take your eyes off Instagram, Son! This time it’s not any parent but the Australian government saying these words out loud. 

Christmas of 2024 will be less merry for Australian kids under 16 as this will be the last year they will get to post about their celebrations on social media. Yes! I am sure we all have seen the news. 

The headline-breaking regulation is coined as “Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Bill”.

Australia became the first nation in the world to impose a national social media ban for children under 16. According to experts, this grand social experiment of our time could achieve something that other governments, schools, and parents have tried with differing degrees of success. 

This landmark legislation was passed by the Senate with 34 votes in favour against 19. Later on, it was presented to the House of Representatives, which also passed the legislation with an overwhelming majority.

Studies have shown that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are more addicted to the blue screen and the stardom showcased by social media platforms. Over time this can certainly have a potent effect on their overall mental well-being. Parents are the first to voice such concerns. 

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat can hurt the mental well-being of young minds, especially concerning body image, as published by the Royal Society for Public Health. 

The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a heart-drenching statement while interviewing with ABC: “I’ve met parents who have had to bury their children as a result of the impact that social media has had… We need to do something about it.” 

In another media interaction, Albanese mentioned that the crackdown on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and X, which was approved by parliament, will lead to “better outcomes and less harm for young Australians.”

Government representatives who backed the bill said that the main reasons for its introduction were youth mental health and safeguarding them from the negative consequences of excessive internet use.  

This news has generated a range of opinions around the world, particularly in Silicon Valley. Before delving into the responses, it is important to note that Australia is not the first nation to attempt to safeguard the next generation by limiting access to social media.

Countries that tried the social media ban gig:

You must know that many countries have tried to put a direct or an indirect ban on social media for kids. Here are a few instances:

France: 

In June 2023, a law was approved in France requiring social media businesses to confirm users’ ages and obtain parental authorization for those under the age of 15.

Since the European Union has not yet given a green signal to this law, it is yet to be made effective. 

South Korea:

South Korea had something called the Cinderella Law. This law prohibited children under 15 from playing games on the Internet between midnight and 6:00 a.m. This law, which was passed in 2011, was then overturned a decade later, leaving it up to the parents to decide if their kids can play at night. 

In August of 2024, the lawmakers proposed legislation wherein social media was banned for children under 16. This proposition received a massive roar from several youth organisations questioning the fundamental rights of individuals.

China:

China restricted minors’ access to varied tools of the Internet in 2021.

An example of a restriction prevalent in China is that children under the age of 14 are not permitted to play games online for more than 40 minutes each day on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

In a country like China, there are fewer barriers to preventing the youngest members of society, or any other demographic for that matter, from accessing social media because the internet is already heavily regulated by the government.

There are countries like Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, and others that have tried or are trying to bring in some form of restriction in this regard.

Key Features of the Regulation Banning Social Media Access:

 

• Implementation Time frame: After a trial period that starts in January, the ban will be put into action, and the law will be fully implemented in a year.
• Penalty: Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications, clarified and stated sternly that platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram could be fined up to ~50 million Australian dollars (USD ~33 million) for their systematic inability to stop young children from creating accounts. That is huge!
• Restrictions and Exemptions: There is no black-and-white list so far. 

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, X, and others shall be strictly restricted. 

However, the government has stated that it is thinking of removing several platforms—such as messaging apps, online gaming services, and those that primarily assist end users’ health and education—from the age limitations in its initial regulations. So, platforms such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Google Classrooms, etc. may come under the exempted list.

• Adherence to Law: The tech giants shall be responsible for ensuring that the legislation is adhered to in letter and spirit. 

No minor shall be charged any penalty for accessing any restrictive social media platform. 

“Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. 

Statements by Tech Giant on Social Media Ban

Needless to say, the tech giants like X, Instagram, Meta, and others are shaken by this news. The officials put out a statement to various media houses. 

TikTok Official: “Moving forward, the Australian government must work closely with the industry to fix issues created by this rushed process. We want to work together to keep teens safe and reduce the unintended consequences of this law for all Australians.”

Meta Official: “Meta is committed to creating safe online experiences for young people, and we will respect any age limits introduced by the government. We‘ve already invested significantly in understanding age and ensuring age-appropriate experiences on our apps.” 

They then added their concern: “We are concerned that the government is pushing this legislation without adequate consultation or evidence …”

Snapchat Official: “While there are many unanswered questions about how this law will be implemented in practice, we will engage closely with the government and the eSafety Commissioner during the 12-month implementation period to help develop an approach that balances privacy, safety, and practicality.”

How can Elon Musk not say anything given that he owns X. He called the legislation a “backdoor way to control access to the Internet by all Australians.”

Age Verification Tool, its Growing Significance, and Signzy:

We live in the digital age where everything and anything is linked to the internet. Undeniably, social media platforms form a huge part of our day-to-day lives now. These social media are a comprehensive platform that is also an abode for millions of businesses today, only increasing their significance. 

As government bodies are comprehending the impact of the times we live in, newer regulations are expected, which will try to curb the detrimental impact of such platforms. 

Here is where the age verification tool will pop up as the most common yet essential part of your business plan. Do not worry; we got you covered. Here are a few Signzy products that can help you: 

1. Age Verification APIs: One-stop solution for verifying age of users
2. Biometric Authentication: To combat gaps in document verification like fake IDs, database gaps, etc.

•  Face Match or Selfie Verification
•  Liveness Checks

3. Consenz AI: For foolproof consent-recording of users above a certain age

Social media platforms are not always bad but have their bright side as well. For example, many young, talented kids have earned fame because of their social media debut. Today’s youth is uniting over these platforms only to raise their voice for a cause. In fact, many teen entrepreneurs sell their products or services today via these platforms. Many such shining examples can pop out, which shall speak loudly as to how such platforms have transformed our lives today. 

But like everything else, social media platforms also have their pros and cons, and one must exercise caution while using them.

Talking about the social media ban in Australia for kids under 16, only time will tell how this legislation pans out for the greater good of all Australians.