From Australia, eSafety Commissioner Holly Harris narrows her focus on two relatively new and lesser-known social media apps in use today: Lemon8 and Yope. The country prepares to implement a nationwide ban on social media for those under 16 years of age. The bill’s ban will go into effect December 10. It aims to restrict access to social media platforms that fail to provide adequate protections for users under 18.
Lemon8, a relatively new app created by the same developers behind TikTok, has quickly caught on with teens over the past few months. In particular, the eSafety Commissioner is asking Lemon8 to perform a voluntary self-assessment. Yope has to do the same to figure out whether or not they’re following the new rules. This pattern of preemptive action forms a greater framework that includes intentional industry efforts to protect minors online.
In YouTube’s support page detailing the changes, starting December 10, any user younger than 16 will be automatically signed out of their YouTube accounts. These users signed out will lose the promised ability to upload new content or post comments on the platform. The new law goes further, establishing harsh age limitations. Tech companies that don’t comply could be hit with large penalties of up to A$49.5 million (approx US$33 million / £25 million).
Rachel Lord, YouTube’s senior public policy manager, condemned the legislation. Her statement explained her worries that it reverses years of progress to enact key disclosures and parental controls that families count on for a safer online experience.
“Most importantly, this law will not fulfil its promise to make kids safer online, and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube,” – Rachel Lord
In a statement addressing the implications of the new law, Lord described the regulation as a “rushed regulation that misunderstands our platform and the way young Australians use it.” She further stressed how it would do the opposite of protecting minors and their safety.
In response, Communications Minister Anika Wells slammed YouTube’s threats. She thought it was “outright weird” that the platform focused on its risks to children. She said the rule is intended to shield children from being overly stimulated by social media companies.
“If YouTube is reminding us all that it is not safe … that’s a problem that YouTube needs to fix,” – Anika Wells
Wells admitted that changing regulation and culture can be a slow process, but the new law is essential to protecting younger audiences. She noted that tech companies are required to file reports in six-month intervals. These reports should go beyond just reporting what accounts they have for children under 16 and require transparency so they know how to comply with the new regulations.
As the December deadline nears, alarm bells are beginning to ring regarding parental control of their children’s online activities. Once the ban goes into effect, parents will find it difficult to monitor their teenager or tween’s YouTube account. This lack of oversight can pose serious hazards to families. This ranges from limiting content creation settings to blocking certain channels.
For Ms Lord, the eSafety Commissioner, she expects that there will be some early hiccups as the ban comes into force. She cautioned that we should anticipate “teething problems” in the first days and weeks. These problems will be very real as the new rules begin to be implemented.
The debate over youth safety online is intensifying. Stakeholders from the private and public sectors, including tech companies and government officials, are exploring ways to better protect minors as they interact with digital platforms while simultaneously lowering the risks associated with online content consumption.