Australia has implemented the world’s first social media ban for minors under the age of sixteen.

News Mania Desk / Piyal Chatterjee / 29th November 2024

In a historic ruling, Australia became the first nation to enact such broad prohibitions, passing a law that essentially forbids children under the age of 16 from using social media. The action was taken in response to growing worries about how social media affects young people’s mental health and wellbeing, particularly in light of the rise in instances of addiction, cyberbullying, and exposure to offensive material.

Social media companies must implement stronger age verification procedures under the new law, which was approved by Parliament earlier this week. This will guarantee that minors under the age of sixteen cannot access or register for accounts on popular social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Early 2025 is when the rules are expected to go into effect, allowing parents and social media firms to adjust.

Social media businesses will be given a year to comply with the age verification standards under the new legislation. Platforms will have to put in place mechanisms to identify and block users under the age of sixteen beginning with the law’s implementation in 2025, and they will be penalized if they don’t. Significant fines might be imposed on businesses who disregard the new rules. Frequent infractions may result in increasing fines of up to $50 million (AUD). The purpose of these fines is to make sure social media companies follow the new age limits and take the required precautions to keep kids safe.

There is now pressure on social media businesses to abide by the new rules. They will have to create and deploy cutting-edge age verification systems to make sure kids can’t use their services. Although the use of such technology poses privacy and data security concerns, several businesses have already started looking at more advanced methods of confirming users’ ages, such as digital ID systems and facial recognition.

The new regulation was hailed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a significant step in safeguarding the nation’s youth. According to him, this rule is an important step in safeguarding kids’ mental and emotional well-being in the digital age.Numerous studies conducted by Australian health professionals, who have been raising the alarm about the risks of social media for kids, have led to this comprehensive legislation. Excessive use of social media has been connected in studies to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances in youth. According to a 2023 study by the Australian Psychological Society, almost 40% of teenagers said that their internet contacts had made them feel anxious or unhappy. The stresses of social comparison and cyberbullying have been found to be significant causes of these mental health issues.

There has been a lot of opposition to the restriction from some places, who claim that it violates children’s rights to information access and free speech. Digital rights activists have cautioned that the rule would result in the development of illicit social media account marketplaces where minors could use fabricated information to get around age verification systems. Furthermore, there are worries that the rule would turn off young people, who increasingly see social media as an essential instrument for self-expression, education, and social connection.

Experts are keeping a careful eye on whether other nations will follow Australia’s pioneering social media ban. It’s unclear if comparable laws will be implemented abroad given the widespread use of social media and the increased awareness of its negative effects on young people. One thing is evident as the law develops: Australia has made a daring move in addressing the intricate problems of the digital era by putting its youth’s health and safety first in a world that is changing quickly.