Vithanage Erandi Kawshalya Madhushani Jade Times Staff
V.E.K. Madhushani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Innovation.
Australia Proposes Tough Social Media Restrictions for Kids
The Australian government is pushing forward with a groundbreaking bill that seeks to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms. This legislation, which would amend the country’s Online Safety Act, aims to address the growing concerns over the harm social media may inflict on young users.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the initiative a response to parents' fears about their children’s online safety, stating, “This is for the mums and dads who are worried sick about the safety of our kids online.” The proposed law has attracted widespread attention, with countries like the UK expressing interest in similar measures.
Tech Giants Push Back: Concerns Over Hasty Legislation
Major tech firms, including Google (which owns YouTube), Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram), Snapchat-owner Snap Inc., and TikTok, have voiced strong concerns about the proposed regulations.
Meta criticized the bill for failing to ease the burden on parents and accused lawmakers of ignoring insights from child safety and mental health experts. TikTok echoed these sentiments, describing the legislation as rushed and warning of "unintended consequences" if it is passed without adequate scrutiny.
Snapchat and X (formerly Twitter) have raised legal and logistical objections, with X questioning whether the bill aligns with Australian law. Several companies also highlighted the challenges of implementing robust age verification systems.
LinkedIn’s Unique Argument: "We’re Not for Kids"
While most platforms are pushing back against the legislation, LinkedIn has taken a distinctly different approach. The Microsoft-owned career networking site argues that it doesn’t appeal to minors and should therefore be exempt from the proposed law.
“LinkedIn simply does not have content interesting and appealing to minors,” the company stated in its submission to Australia’s Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee. It pointed out that its minimum age requirement of 16 already restricts underage access and emphasized its efforts to remove child accounts when identified.
By sidestepping the need for costly age verification measures, LinkedIn hopes to avoid the disruption faced by other platforms. “Subjecting LinkedIn to regulation under this legislation would create unnecessary barriers and costs,” the company asserted.
Age Assurance Technology: The Core Debate
At the heart of the controversy is the feasibility of accurately verifying users' ages. Many social media platforms are participating in an ongoing age assurance trial to explore technologies capable of determining a user’s age effectively.
While the government hopes this technology will play a key role in enforcing the ban, companies argue it is not yet reliable enough to implement on a large scale. Some worry that rushing the process could lead to privacy violations or disruptions for legitimate users.
Global Ripple Effect: Other Countries Eye Australia’s Bold Move
The Australian legislation has piqued the interest of other nations grappling with the same challenges.
In the UK, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle recently suggested that similar laws could be introduced, calling Australia’s approach a model worth examining. Meanwhile, France has already implemented a law requiring parental consent for users under 15, though studies show that many children bypass the restrictions using simple VPNs.
Experts Warn of Privacy Risks and Insufficient Scrutiny
Despite the government’s commitment to passing the bill by the end of the parliamentary year, experts and rights advocates have criticized its rushed timeline.
Carly Kind, Australia’s privacy commissioner, expressed concerns about the widespread privacy implications of enforcing a social media ban, highlighting the potential risks of intrusive age verification systems. Human rights commissioner Lorraine Findlay called the one-day window for submissions “entirely inadequate” and emphasized the need for meaningful consultation.
What’s Next for Australia’s Online Safety Agenda?
With the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee recommending that the bill proceed, the government appears determined to move forward despite resistance from the tech industry and advocacy groups.
As lawmakers debate the finer details of the legislation, the world is watching closely to see if Australia can strike a balance between protecting children and preserving online privacy. The outcome could set a precedent for how countries regulate social media access for younger users in the digital age.
