Australia's Landmark Move to Protect Kids on Social Media

Australia will introduce legislation banning children under 16 from social media platforms. The government ensures no personal information will be handed to tech companies. The new law will oblige platforms to enforce the ban or face hefty fines, with implementation technology still under review.

In a groundbreaking move, Australia's communication minister announced impending legislation that will prohibit children under 16 from accessing social media platforms like X, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Minister Michelle Rowland emphasized that this legislation does not require users to disclose personal information to tech companies.

The proposed law, which will soon be introduced to Parliament, aims to hold social media giants accountable for blocking younger users. They will have a one-year grace period to comply, after which they could face fines of up to AU$50 million for continued violations. However, the method to verify user age remains undecided.

The government has engaged the British Age Check Certification Scheme to evaluate potential technologies for age verification. While protecting children's privacy and preventing exposure to harmful content, the challenge remains finding an accurate and unobtrusive solution. Digital Industry Group Inc. criticizes the effort as an outdated answer to modern challenges, reflecting the complexity of balancing safety and privacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)