Australia bans access to social media for under-16s

The Australian Parliament approved legislation on Thursday, November 28, banning access to social networks for those under 16, one of the strictest measures in the world in this area for platforms like X, TikTok, Instagram or Facebook. The text, which obtained the agreement of both houses of Parliament and support from the main parties, should soon require these platforms to take “reasonable measures” to prevent these adolescents 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 obtained validation from the Australian Senate on Thursday, after that of the Lower House on Wednesday, and its entry into force is beyond doubt. Read the column: Should social networks be banned for under 16s? Read later The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese (center left), who is preparing for elections early next year, enthusiastically defended these new rules and won the support of many fathers and mothers. . Ahead of the vote, Mr 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”. He said he wanted young Australians to “put down their phones and instead go to the football and cricket fields, the tennis courts, the volleyball courts and the swimming pool”. A “rushed” decision Before the vote, several platforms denounced a “rushed” decision, expressing “serious concerns” about potential “unforeseen 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 question 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 like WhatsApp and YouTube, which teenagers may need to do their homework, should also be exempted. Lessons encouraging children to think “critically” about what they see online should be adopted, like Finland, social media expert Susan Grantham told Agence France-Presse. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Instagram will impose “teen accounts” on minors Read later Similar restrictions considered abroad The entry into force of this new legislation will be closely monitored abroad, with several countries also considering implementing implement similar restrictions. Le Monde Special offer for students and teachers Access all our content unlimitedly from €6.99/month instead of €12.99. Subscribe In the American state of Florida, a law is due to come into force in January 2025 to prohibit the opening of an account to children under 14, but the practical arrangements have not been determined. In Spain, the government also presented a draft bill in June to prohibit access to social networks for those under 16, although the method of age verification has not been determined. There is no scheduled date for review of the text. China has restricted access for minors since 2021 and requires identification with an identity document. Those under 14 cannot spend more than forty minutes a day on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and online gaming time for children and adolescents is limited. Also read the analysis | Article reserved for our subscribers Regulation of social networks: between the hammer of criminal justice and the hard place of the EU Read later Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content



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