SOCIAL media giants on Friday hit out at a landmark Australian law banning them from signing up under-16s, describing it as a rush job littered with “many unanswered questions”.
The UN children’s charity UNICEF Australia warned the law was no “silver bullet” against online harm and could push kids into “covert and unregulated” spaces online.
The legislation, approved by parliament on Thursday, orders social media firms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent young teens from having accounts.
It is due to come into effect after a year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the age limit may not be implemented perfectly — much like existing restrictions on alcohol — but it was “the right thing to do”.
The crackdown on sites like Facebook, Instagram and X would lead to “better outcomes and less harm for young Australians”, he told reporters.
Platforms have a “social responsibility” to make children’s safety a priority, Albanese said.
Social media firms that fail to comply with the law face fines of up to Aus$50 million (US$32.5 million) for “systemic breaches”.
TikTok said it was “disappointed” in the law, accusing the government of ignoring mental health, online safety and youth experts who had opposed the ban.
“It’s entirely likely the ban could see young people pushed to darker corners of the internet where no community guidelines, safety tools, or protections exist,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
Tech companies said that despite the law’s perceived shortcomings, they would engage with the government in shaping how it could be implemented in the next 12 months.
The legislation offers almost no details on how the rules will be enforced — prompting concern among experts that it will be largely symbolic.
Members of the public appeared doubtful.
