Australia Logs Off
Australia will bar kids under 16 from using social media, according to a law that passed the Australian Parliament on November 29. Under the law, social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook will have to pay fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million U.S.) if they fail to prevent young people from logging on.
There are some exceptions. Kids will still be able to use some social websites, such as YouTube, for educational purposes. But other social media sites must decide how to implement the ban. They have one year to figure it out. If they fail to comply, they’ll face penalties.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese told reporters, “Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them.” But not everyone agrees with the law. Meta Platforms is the company behind Facebook and Instagram. In a statement, it called the law “rushed.”
Other countries have similar rules. In the U.S., many social platforms require users to be at least 13. But Australia’s law is the first that requires social media companies to take responsibility for who creates an account.
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