Governments and tech firms globally are closely watching Australia’s effort to become the first country to block the use of social media by teenage children.
When the ban comes into force on December 10, anyone under the age of 16 will be prohibited from holding accounts on Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and X.
On Tuesday, Communications Minister Anika Wells and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant revealed the steps tech giants will be expected to take to comply with the regulations.
Federal Minister for Communications Anika Wells with eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant at Tuesday’s press conference on the new guidance for the under-16 social media laws.Credit: Kate Geraghty
While the platforms must satisfy the watchdog that they have taken “reasonable steps” to remove the accounts of the under-16s, there will be no legally enforceable standard for accuracy.
ESafety will be able to launch legal action if platforms cannot demonstrate they have taken the required steps, which may differ from platform to platform, with fines of up to $50 million for breaches.
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The ban attracted global attention when it was announced last November. The fiercest opposition came from X, whose billionaire owner Elon Musk called the law “a backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians”.
US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that hurt US businesses, particularly tech companies. The Herald reported in March some ministers were aware of the Trump administration’s hostility towards age-gating social media. But they did not think the US would punish Australia over it and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese determined to push ahead.
Social media has become a key tool of governing for Trump, who uses his own TruthSocial site to spread his rhetoric. Globally, social media platforms have experienced a proliferation of extremist views, with algorithms steering foul content to young, vulnerable users.
