Australia has banned the use of social media by those under 16. The country's upper house of parliament, the Senate, approved the law on Thursday (November 28).
The news agency Reuters reported that it will be implemented at least a year later, in 2025. The law provides for fines against Meta-owned Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Companies that violate the law will be fined at least 50 million Australian dollars.
The new process will initially start next January and will be implemented within a year.
However, critics say questions remain about how the ban will be enforced. In addition, it is not clear how it will affect privacy and social connections.
Prime Minister Albanese introduced the law in the lower house of parliament last week. At the time, he said, "This is a global problem. We want young Australians to have a real childhood. We want parents to have peace of mind.’
Meanwhile, critics also say that the ban could lead to an increase in VPN use. Because anyone in Australia can easily access banned social media using a VPN. In addition, it is not certain whether the technology the government plans to use for age verification will work properly.
In addition, the law does not specify which social media will be banned. These decisions will be made later by the Australian Communications Minister. In this case, he will seek advice from the e-safety commissioner.
However, gaming and messaging platforms will be exempt from the ban. In addition, sites that can be accessed without an account, such as YouTube, may also be exempt from the ban.