Australia Moves Closer to Ban Social Media for Children

Australia on Wednesday moved closer to banning social media for children under 16 after the parliament's lower house passed the bill even as Alphabet's Google and Facebook-owner Meta pressed the government to delay the legislation.

Australia's House of Representatives passed the bill 102 votes to 13 after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Labor government secured bipartisan support for the ban.

The Senate is expected to debate the bill later on Wednesday, with the government keen to ensure it is passed by the end of the parliamentary year on Thursday.

Albanese, trying to lift his approval ratings ahead of an election expected in May, has argued that excessive use of social media poses risks to the physical and mental health of children and is looking for support from parents.

Media outlets, including News Corp, have backed the ban.

Some youth advocates including Australia's human rights commission raised concerns the law would hurt children's rights to self-expression, but a YouGov survey released on Tuesday showed 77 percent of Australians backed the ban, up from 61 percent in an August survey.

The planned law would force social media platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure age-verification protections are in place. Companies could be fined up to AUD 49.5 million ($32 million or roughly Rs. 270 crore) for systemic breaches.

Australia plans to trial an age-verification system that may include biometrics or government identification to enforce the ban, some of the toughest social media controls imposed by any country to date.

A Senate committee late on Tuesday backed the bill but inserted a condition that social media platforms should not force users to submit personal data such as passport and other digital identification to prove their age.

In its report, the Senate's environment and communications legislation committee said social media platforms "must set out alternative methods for assuring age as reasonable steps with consideration given to the age assurance trial."

A progress report on the age assurance trial must be submitted by the communications minister to parliament by September 30, 2025, the committee said as it urged the government to "meaningfully engage" with youth when framing the law.

"Young people, and in particular diverse cohorts, must be at the centre of the conversation as an age restriction is implemented to ensure there are constructive pathways for connection," committee Chair Senator Karen Grogan said.

In separate submissions to parliament, Google and Meta said the social media ban should be delayed until the age-verification trial finishes. Bytedance's TikTok said the bill needed more consultation, while Elon Musk's X said the proposed law might hurt children's human rights.

Some opposition and independent lawmakers have criticised the government for trying to pass the legislation in a week. The bill was introduced last Thursday, submissions on it closed the following day, and a brief public hearing was held on Monday.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

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