Australian government wants to ban social media for under-16s

The Australian Prime Minister announced Thursday that he wanted to ban under-16s from accessing social networks, having pledged to crack down on tech giants who, according to him, do not sufficiently protect vulnerable users.

“It’s (a measure) for moms and dads. Social media is doing a lot of harm to children and I have decided to put an end to it”declared the head of government Anthony Albanese to journalists.

Mr. Albanese announced a project in this direction in September, but the minimum age had not yet been decided.

The Labor leader said the measure would be presented to the leaders of Australian states and territories this week, before being submitted to Parliament at the end of November.

Tech companies and social networks will have the responsibility to ensure that users are of the required age – under penalty of fines -, stressed Mr. Albanese, rather than parents who “worry about the safety of their children online”.

“The responsibility will not fall on parents or young people. There will be no sanctions for users »he clarified.

An earlier proposal to introduce an age limit for social media had received widespread support across Australia’s political spectrum.

The platforms will benefit from a period of one year to prepare the implementation of this measure.

Mr. Albanese pointed out that social media algorithms presented inappropriate content to children and adolescents.

“I have things showing up on my (phone) that I don’t want to see. (Imagine) a vulnerable 14 year old child”declared the head of government.

“Young women see images of particular body types that have a real impact”he added.

Experts, however, have cast doubt on the technical feasibility of applying such a measure.

“At the forefront”

“We already know that current age verification methods are unreliable, too easy to circumvent, or pose risks to user privacy”observed Toby Murray, researcher at the University of Melbourne.

In September, Canberra introduced a bill aimed at combating misinformation.

The text notably plans to impose fines of up to 5% of their annual turnover on technology giants in the event of non-compliance with their obligations in the fight against disinformation.

Elon Musk’s social network, X, is also engaged in a legal battle with the Australian internet regulator over its moderation of violent publications.

The minimum age measurement on social networks is “truly at the cutting edge in the world”welcomed for her part the Minister of Communications Michelle Rowland, according to whom the platforms “were not up to par” repeatedly.

“Social media companies have been informed” and financial penalties will be imposed on them in the event of failure to fulfill their obligations, she indicated Wednesday during a press briefing.

Several countries and territories have decided to impose a minimum age to access the platforms.

In the US state of Florida, a law is due to come into force in January to prohibit the opening of an account to those under 14 years old. Spain passed a law in June banning access for under-16s.

In these two cases, however, the method of age verification has not yet been determined.

In France, a law passed in 2023 established a “numerical majority” to 15 years has not yet entered into force, pending a response from the European Commission on its compliance with European law. Emmanuel Macron even spoke out in favor of banning the telephone “before 11 years”.

China, which has restricted access for minors since 2021, requires identification via an identity document. Those under 14 cannot spend more than 40 minutes a day on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and online gaming time for children and adolescents is limited.