What just happened? Australia has introduced world-first legislation that bans people aged under 16 from using social media – even when their parents have given permission for them to use it. Meta, of course, is not happy about all this, and is accusing the country's government of failing to consider the evidence and the voices of young people.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the Australian government had announced plans to introduce legislation banning children under 16 from using social media platforms, an initiative designed to reduce the harm that platforms like TikTok and Instagram can have on young users. Politicians say the ban is required to ensure another generation of teenagers is not exposed to "as much damaging content" in the future.
The bill was approved on Friday morning in Australia's house of representatives with bipartisan support after a one-day inquiry was held to consider 15,000 submissions.
Social media companies have criticized the bill and the speed at which it was passed. A spokesperson for Facebook and Instagram owner Meta said it was "concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people."
"Last week, the Parliament's own committee said the 'causal link with social media remains unclear' with respect to the mental health of young Australians," the spokesperson added. "This demonstrates the lack of evidence underpinning the legislation and suggests this was a predetermined process."
TikTok called for the Australian government to work closely with industry to fix issues created by the "rushed process." Snap said there were many unanswered questions about how the law would be implemented.
Some in Australia support the ban, such as the nearly 128,000 people who signed the 36 Months change.org petition calling for the minimum age to open social media accounts to be raised from 13 to 16.
There are also those who believe the ban is the wrong route to take. The Australian Child Rights Taskforce said the ban is "too blunt an instrument," and is instead calling for the government to impose "safety standards" on social media platforms.
The Guardian notes that even some Australian politicians are against the bill, with one calling it a "1970 solution for a 2024 problem."
Companies that fail to comply with the law face fines of Aus$50 million (US $32.5 million), though it remains unclear how it would be enforced.
The UK and several other European countries have shown an interest in implementing their own age ban on social media platforms.
The issue of social media's impact on young people's mental health has been around for a long time. In January last year, Seattle schools sued social media companies for causing a "mental health crisis" among children. Over 40 states did the same thing last October. The US Surgeon General even called for tobacco-style health warnings to be shown on the platforms.
Last November, a study that used data from over 2 million people disputed claims that the internet, smartphones, and apps are detrimental to users' mental health. The researchers said they looked for a smoking gun linking tech with mental well-being but found no conclusive evidence.
Australia bans under-16s from using social media – platforms criticize decision
