Australia’s Plan to Ban Social Media for Under-16s

Online Safety Bill

FnF News Desk Nov 26, 2024

Date and Platforms

[{"selector":"#anim-6f80b2d1-53b3-42b4-9360-26af29f6ab08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-99ea4b01-08c9-432e-b2b4-fdede6928a62","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7fb2efbe-0fd3-4c2f-8552-ee8a6c92d90d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8278a787-32cd-4eb3-b67c-a707e649a9e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Concerns for Parents

[{"selector":"#anim-ee8e2c8b-0ad9-463a-83b8-4960ac9c51a0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2eaf2f4c-5fcf-4ef9-8f92-dfdd4ad1caa6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0726c0af-e80a-4cc0-8e40-a7f13b79424d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05c7e008-9ee4-42ea-ad0c-08ece3803ed9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Harmful Online Content

[{"selector":"#anim-72e38b9f-a58f-422d-bc56-8406680b548a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-832b007c-01aa-4d89-a6a0-6e02c5d51d3e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64dd9b52-b2c5-4429-9f31-51b4575d7f23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e745f93f-e8bc-4bed-a143-235cacace68b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Platform Accountability

[{"selector":"#anim-eb874738-ee9d-438e-843b-ef20668c6e5c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7be5ebc9-9947-4faa-a795-37ab0ae43114","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1a3bd6b-6a7a-4f1e-b5af-c7e7f6a68066","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b90190b-f205-46e3-b013-aa4ddc65d1b6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Role of Algorithms

[{"selector":"#anim-747be506-36ee-4845-8040-b9813df5c324","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6aa028f-c59c-4f4d-ab5e-f32a4a1f2a0c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f74083bd-cf26-49ef-b7f1-2f76e50a1ce2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89d800a0-9e91-42bf-901a-9b367e01fee7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Technological Solutions

[{"selector":"#anim-ce64089f-3b5a-4325-b9d7-8d21592417e0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d68b7c7b-e340-4a68-bb2e-ad96ce6ec47e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1497cb8b-c42d-456d-8065-71e3d03fd036","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84c04adb-173d-452d-8081-d96a5999fa8e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Global Implications

[{"selector":"#anim-24cec867-2867-462d-920f-af909f622292","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d7fdd9c1-9c5b-4e82-aee7-5beba0994202","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a7efdf6-8a0d-4822-bf8f-00599ddceb37","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1132b18-6493-4c69-ae82-2b0d6b0c5ffa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Experts’ Views

Future of Social Media

[{"selector":"#anim-c7a2ed49-f8a6-499f-9453-cf45cf5bb213","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7b9fc358-3f56-4115-9fda-56cdc56cfa92","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.30208%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4349851-dc1e-42ef-9986-8c74c6282f1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea3243d8-9ce6-47cc-8221-3153ef7fdb55","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-101.24378%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Online Safety Bill

Australia proposes banning children under 16 from social media to address harmful online exposure and strengthen digital safety.

Date and Platforms

Platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram may face penalties under the bill, expected to pass next week.

Concerns for Parents

95% of Australian caregivers view online safety as one of the toughest parenting challenges, according to government research.

Harmful Online Content

Nearly 65% of teens in Australia have encountered harmful content, raising concerns about the impact of unfiltered online streams.

Platform Accountability

The bill enforces fines of up to $33M for platforms failing to prevent minors' access or misusing data for age verification.

Role of Algorithms

Messaging apps and educational platforms are exempt, as their risks differ from algorithm-driven content curation on social media.

Technological Solutions

Age Check Certification Scheme explores innovative methods like age inference and estimation to verify user eligibility.

Global Implications

Will other nations adopt similar laws to protect minors, or will it spark debate about digital rights and parental responsibility?

Experts’ Views

Critics worry a ban could push teens towards unregulated online spaces lacking safety measures and positive engagement tools.

Future of Social Media

As Australia takes the lead, the global question remains: is a ban the most effective way to ensure online safety for youth?