Australia enforces world's first social media age restriction

Australia has become the first country in the world to introduce a ban on social media use by children under 16. The bill, which was passed in the Senate by 34 votes to 19, had previously been approved by the House of Representatives, where 102 members supported it and 13 were against.

The new law provides strict penalties for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X that fail to comply with the ban. The fine for non-compliance can be as high as CAD 46 million. Platforms have one year to develop a user age verification system, and testing of enforcement methods will begin in January.

Australian politicians argue that the decision to introduce the ban stems from the negative impact of social media on the mental health of young people. In other countries, such as France or some states in the USA, restrictions on access for minors have already been implemented, but the Australian law is the most restrictive among them.

The new regulations have been met with criticism from young people and researchers, who warn that the ban may cut off young people, including those from the LGBTQIA community and teenage migrants, from online support groups. The Australian Human Rights Commission has expressed concerns that the law may violate the rights of young people by limiting their ability to participate in social life.

According to surveys cited by the Reuters, as many as 77% of Australians support the introduction of the ban. The enacted ban may carry potential problems. An example of this is Florida, which introduced a ban on social media use by those under 14 in March of this year. This law is currently being challenged in court. Opponents of this solution point to violations of freedom of speech.

Many experts emphasize that a far better solution than imposing bans is teaching young people how to navigate the digital world safely.