The text should soon require these platforms to take “reasonable measures” to prevent these adolescents from having an account.
The Australian Parliament adopted pioneering legislation on Thursday banning access to social networks for those under 16, among the most restrictive in the world for platforms such as X, Tik Tok, Instagram or Facebook. The text, which obtained the green light from both houses of parliament and bipartisan support, should soon force these platforms to take “reasonable measures” to prevent these teenagers from having an account.
Failure to comply with this obligation will result in fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (30.7 million euros). The bill received the green light from the Australian Senate on Thursday, after that of the Lower House the day before, and there is no doubt about its entry into force.
Center-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is preparing for elections early next year, enthusiastically defended the new rules and rallied the support of many fathers and mothers. Ahead of the vote, Anthony Albanese said social media was “a platform for social pressure, a source of anxiety, a channel for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators”.
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One of the strictest bans in the world
He said he wanted young Australians “put down their phones and instead go to the football and cricket fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts and the swimming pool”. Before the vote, several platforms denounced a decision “rushed”expressing “serious concerns” on potential “unintended consequences”.
On paper, the ban is one of the strictest in the world. But the exact contours of its application remain unclear. The text provides almost no details on its application methods so that some experts have expressed doubts about the technical feasibility of this ban and questioning its symbolic nature.
Tech companies will have at least a year to comply with the new obligation, while Australian regulators clarify the details relating to the application of the law. Certain platforms such as WhatsApp and YouTube, which adolescents may need to do their homework, should also be exempted.
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