Australia’s Social Media Ban Aims to Protect Children
In a move to shield young people from the potential harms of social media, Australia has seen about 4.7 million accounts, identified as belonging to children under 16, removed from various platforms. This follows the country’s ban on social media use for this age group.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said that parents can now have their kids back their childhoods.
The ban, enacted in December, reflects growing concerns about the impact of online environments on children’s well-being. Lawmakers hope this action will reduce the exposure of children to harmful content and potential exploitation.
Under the new law, social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, and others face significant fines if they fail to remove underage accounts. Platforms are using various methods to verify users’ ages, including reviewing identification documents or employing facial age estimation technology.
Julie Inman Grant, the country’s eSafety Commissioner, expressed optimism about the initial results, noting that the removal of millions of accounts is a positive step.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, stated they removed nearly 550,000 accounts after the ban came into effect.
While some groups raised concerns about limiting online access for young people in rural areas, the ban has largely been praised by parents and child safety advocates. Other countries, like Denmark, are considering similar measures.
While there have been reports of young people circumventing the ban by migrating to other platforms, officials are actively monitoring the situation. They are also planning to introduce new restrictions on AI companions and chatbots in the near future.
