Tech Giants Challenge Australia's Child Social Media Bill

Google and Meta are urging the Australian government to delay a bill banning most social media use for children under 16, citing a need for more time to assess its impact. Critics say the legislation, intended to enforce age verification, is being rushed and lacks detailed consultation.

Google and Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, have appealed to the Australian government to postpone a bill that seeks to prohibit most social media access for children under 16. The tech giants argue that more time is required to evaluate the potential effects of this new regulation.

The bill, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left government aims to enact by the end of the parliamentary year, would impose some of the strictest controls on children's social media usage worldwide. It was introduced last week, with only a single day allotted for public submissions.

Critics, including Bytedance's TikTok and Elon Musk's X, have expressed concerns over the lack of consultation and potential human rights implications. The opposition party expects to support the bill, but some independents have decried the process as hasty.

(With inputs from agencies.)