There will be less shit on the Internet: Australia passes law banning children under 16 from social media

A child scrolls through social media. Source: Breakpoint

Australia has passed a new law that prohibits children under the age of 16 from using social media. This is the first country in the world to impose restrictions up to the age of 16, and the law will come into force next year.

Here's What We Know

The ban applies to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Reddit, and Snapchat. If social networks violate the law (and they have to check whether a person is 16), they face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million).

Even parental consent will not give a child the right to register on social media.

A Meta spokesperson said the Facebook owner respects Australian law but is "concerned" about the process that has rushed the law through without properly considering the evidence, what the industry is already doing to provide age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people.

The law has faced criticism from privacy advocates and some children's rights groups, but according to recent polls, 77% of the population supports it.

But! The important thing is that Australian children can easily create a PlayStation account and play any games sold in Australia without having to prove their age. The proposed ban on social media will not apply to video game services.

YouTube, by the way, was not included in the ban because of its educational benefits.

Source: reuters