Australia has moved a step closer to introducing a law banning children under 16 from social media. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Wednesday, but it still needs Senate approval.
102 Lower House lawmakers voted for the ban and just 13 opposed. If the bill is enacted, operators of social media platforms will have to take measures to prevent children from setting up accounts.
Companies that fail to do so will be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars, about 32 million US dollars.
There are no penalties for underage children or their parents.
The legislation targets platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X. YouTube and sites that do not require accounts could be exempted.
A recent poll shows about 60 percent of people in Australia support a ban on social media for minors.
But there are concerns about how to verify a user's age without compromising personal data.
If the bill becomes law, the government will have a year to examine effective age verification methods before it is enforced.
102 Lower House lawmakers voted for the ban and just 13 opposed. If the bill is enacted, operators of social media platforms will have to take measures to prevent children from setting up accounts.
Companies that fail to do so will be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars, about 32 million US dollars.
There are no penalties for underage children or their parents.
The legislation targets platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X. YouTube and sites that do not require accounts could be exempted.
A recent poll shows about 60 percent of people in Australia support a ban on social media for minors.
But there are concerns about how to verify a user's age without compromising personal data.
If the bill becomes law, the government will have a year to examine effective age verification methods before it is enforced.
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Summary: With upcoming ban, Meta begins to notify Australian teens that their accounts will be shut down
Summary
Australia's House of Representatives has passed a bill proposing a ban on social media for children under 16. The law, if enacted, will require social media operators to prevent minors from creating accounts, with potential fines up to 49.5 million Australian dollars for non-compliance. The bill
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ID: c953fcb3-5874-4614-8a82-777924f4f425
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20241127_27/
Date: Nov. 27, 2024
Created: 2024/11/28 07:00
Updated: 2025/12/08 08:25
Last Read: 2024/11/28 10:11