Australia has taken a courageous step in safeguarding children. To enforce this, they have enacted a law mandating that social media companies prevent users under 16 from using their platforms. This policy just went into effect in December. Most notably, it goes after the platforms we all know, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, Kick and Twitch. The goal of the initiative is to protect children from the toxic content and addictive algorithms that are widespread on these platforms.
The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, called this ban a move that was long overdue. She pointed out that kids are an “incredibly lucrative” market for social media companies. Yet these companies oftentimes put engagement before the safety of these young users. Plausibly, the law requires social media companies to implement “reasonable steps” to prevent kids from accessing their platforms. Non-compliance can lead to significant penalties of up to A$49.5m (around $33m or £24.5m).
Since the ban was instituted, the Australian government has closed 4.7 million accounts. In fact, these accounts were flagged as the accounts of minors. This figure speaks to the power of the policy, which city officials have hailed as a stunning success. Inman Grant lauded the policy for going above and beyond. They are committed to “playing the long game” to ensure children are safe online.
A second round of public compliance notices will be going out to the companies very soon. Snapchat will be a major part of our focus, as it’s the app of choice for millennials and gen Zs. Inman Grant noted the pushback they got from tech companies when developing the new regulations. She stated, “These companies have come to this regime, if you will, kicking and screaming – very very reluctantly.”
The Australian government has been clear that they will not be intimidated by legal threats from big tech companies. Communications Minister Anika Wells asserted, “We will not be intimidated by big tech. On behalf of Australian parents, we will stand firm.” This firm stance shows that the federal government takes the safety and wellbeing of children seriously in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Australia’s age verification measures are the most extreme in the world in terms of access to social media. The law raises the age of consent to 16 with no exceptions, including parental consent. This novel approach has turned the heads of countries outside of Australia. The UK currently is considering similar legislation, as the House of Lords last month voted to ban social media for anyone under age 16.
Inman Grant told the Guardian that social media companies are nervous about the outcome of Australia’s ground-breaking ban. She said the most thing they are afraid of it doing is being a precedent for other countries to do the same. She stated, “They’re building a pipeline for the future, and they do not want this to be the first domino.”
Researchers are already studying changes in behavior among young users since the implementation of this new regulation. The continuing enforcement and monitoring of the ban have piqued their interest. The Australian government aims to create a safer online environment for children while navigating the complexities of regulating powerful technology companies.