Australia’s parliament has passed a world-first law banning social media for children under 16, putting tech companies on notice to tighten security before a undetermined cut-off date.
The Senate approved the social media ban late on Thursday, the last sitting day of the year, following months of intense public debate and a rushed parliamentary process that saw the bill introduced, debated and passed within a week.
Under the new law, tech companies must take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-age users from accessing social media services or face fines of nearly 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million).
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It’s the world’s toughest response yet to a problem that has seen other countries impose restrictions but not hold companies accountable for breaches of a nationwide ban. The ban is expected to apply to Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X, but that list could expand.
Close up of elementary student typing text message on smart phone while sitting at the desk in the classroom.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the new law on Friday, saying it sent a message to parents that “we’ve got your back.”
A rushed process
The government has faced considerable criticism for the speed of the legislation.
Submissions to a Senate committee inquiry into the bill were open for just 24 hours before a three-hour hearing on Monday. The inquiry report was released Tuesday, and the bill passed the lower house on Wednesday – 102 votes to 13 – before progressing to the Senate.
More than 100 submissions were made and “almost all submitters and witnesses expressed grave concerns that a bill of such import was not afforded sufficient time for thorough inquiry and report,” the committee said in its report.
Tech companies Meta – the owner of Facebook and Instagram – and TikTok said in statements Friday that they shared the government’s goal of making social media safer for young users but the law had been “rushed.”
“The task now turns to ensuring there is productive consultation on all rules associated with the Bill to ensure a technically feasible outcome that does not place an onerous burden on parents and teens and a commitment that rules will be consistently applied across all social apps used by teens,” a Meta spokesperson said.
X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, said in its submission to the inquiry that the platform was “not widely used by minors” but expressed concern about the law’s impact on their freedom of expression.