Australia proposes an age limit for social networks - What other countries are considering restrictions?
Australia's government has introduced a new bill that will ban children 16 and under from using social media as part of the country's efforts to keep people safe online. "For many young Australians, social media can be harmful," Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said in a speech to parliament. "Nearly two-thirds of Australians aged 14 to 17 have seen extremely harmful content online, including drug abuse, suicide or self-harm, and violent material," she said.
"A quarter have been exposed to content that promotes unsafe eating habits." The legislation will apply to "age-restricted social media platforms", a term inserted into the law, with the communications minister saying it will at least include the likes of TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, Instagram and X (more see Twitter). "These services will be required to take reasonable steps to prevent persons under 16 from creating or maintaining an account," Rowland added.
Research by Australia's independent internet safety regulator found nearly half of 8-12-year-olds are using short-form video apps such as Snapchat and TikTok, while more than a third have used messaging apps. The regulator also said that a large majority of carers consider online safety to be one of their most difficult parenting challenges. "This is a landmark reform. We know some children will find solutions, but we are sending a message to social media companies to control their actions," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement. The minimum age limit will start at least a year after the legislation is passed, which will give social media platforms time to develop the required systems, the Australian government said.
The UK's Online Safety Act, which is being enforced by the regulator, requires social media companies to enforce age limits. "Companies can no longer say their service is for users over a certain age in their terms of service and do nothing to prevent younger children from using it," the UK government said.
A 2023 French law requires social platforms to seek parental consent from minors under the age of 15 before creating an account, but it has not yet been implemented for technical reasons. French President Emmanuel Macron has also called for a wider European digital majority age.
Norway's government said last month that it wants minors to be at least 15 years old to consent to social media sites processing their data. The government also intends to have an age limit on social media and is working on how to enforce one. Many social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok already have an age limit of 13 to register on the platform. Instagram also recently announced a series of changes including "teen accounts" for users under 18.
In European Union countries, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires parental consent for the processing of personal data for minors under the age of 16, although states may provide a lower age limit as long as is at least 13 years old. Meanwhile, the Digital Services Act (DSA) requires online platforms with more than 45 million monthly users in the EU to identify and assess potential online risks for children and young people who use them.
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