US EditionIf Social Media for Kids Is so Bad, Should We Be Allowed to Post Kids’ Photos Online?
Australia imposes fines up to AUS$50 million on tech firms failing to block social media access for under-16s to reduce online harms like bullying and misinformation.
- This year, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, X, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitch nationwide.
- The government proposed the law citing research linking social media to bullying, misinformation and unhealthy body‑image portrayals, aiming to protect children's safety and wellbeing.
- Facing enforcement, tech companies must cut off underage accounts or face fines up to AUS$50‑million under the legal age‑limit enforcement mechanism.
- Parents and carers will see changes as major social platforms alter access and moderation, affecting under‑16s and highlighting tensions between child‑safety goals and commercial profiling of minors and sharenting.
- Experts warn platforms accumulate profiles by age 16, while children without accounts can already have a public digital identity, highlighting the need for broader social media literacy.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Young people in Australia are fearing being left without social media as the country becomes the first in the world to introduce a strict 16-year-old age limit. “Without social media, we are cut off from the rest of the world. People under 16 become invisible,” says 15-year-old Vivian Wilson.
Kids have already found a way around Australia's new social media ban: Making faces
The liberal-dominated Australian parliament passed an amendment to its online safety legislation last year, imposing age restrictions for certain social media platforms.As of Dec. 10, minors in the former penal colony are prohibited from using various platforms, including Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube — platforms that face potential fines exceeding $32 million should they fail to prevent kids from creating new accounts or fr…
Australia Bans Social Media for Minors
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Australia Bans Social Media For Those Under 16
Australia has banned social media accounts for those under the age of 16, citing mental health concerns. Reuters reports: Australia on Wednesday became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking access in a move welcomed by many parents and child advocates but criticised by major technology companies and free-speech advocates. Starting at midnight (1300 GMT on Tuesday), 10 of the largest platforms including TikTok, Alp…
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